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Category: Desserts & Fruit

Rainbow Cookies

Rainbow Cookies

2 large egg
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoon granulated sugar (5-1/2 ounces)
2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 1 lemon, freshly grated
2-1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (15 ounces)
1 teaspoon large egg white , lightly beaten
Food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple

cookie_rainbow_main

Place eggs in small saucepan, cover with 1 inch water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill small bowl with ice water. Using slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water and let stand 5 minutes. Crack eggs and peel shell. Separate yolks from white; discard white. Press yolks through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl.

Add sugar and lemon zest to a bowl. Use finger tips and rub the mixture until in resemble pale yellow wet sand.

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar mixture, salt, and cooked egg yolk on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl and beater with rubber spatula. Turn mixer to low, add vanilla, and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer; add flour and mix on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Using rubber spatula, press dough into cohesive mass.

Divide dough in six equal portions; add food coloring to each piece and mix to achieve desire color. Roll each portion, on a piece of plastic wrap, into a long strip about 3 x 11 inches, 1/4 inch thick. Wrap each strip with the plastic wrap and chill until firm, about an hour.

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place purple dough on a cutting board and brush with egg white. Place blue dough on top of purple and brush with egg white. Repeat with remaining dough in the order of green, yellow, orange and red (see photos). Using chef’s knife, trim edges and slice dough into 1/4-inch-thick rectangles. Place cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets. (If dough is too soft when slicing, chill it for an additional 20-30 minutes.)

Bake cookies for 14-16 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

S’mores Cookies

S’mores Cookies

Gooey S’mores Cookies

 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (7 full graham cracker sheets)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup Mini Hershey’s Kisses (or chocolate chips/chunks)

1 cup Jet Puffed Mallow Bits

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Meanwhile, use a food processor or blender to crush 7 graham cracker sheets into 3/4 cup fine crumbs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Add the chocolate and marshmallows and stir to combine. Place 1.5 tablespoon sized scoops of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

 

S’mores Cookies

 

11 T. unsalted butter, softened

1 C. brown sugar, packed

½ C. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 ½ C. flour

1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 C. mini marshmallows

3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces

1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed. Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight (I did one batch right away and another after chilling overnight and found there was no difference.) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper. I used one 11×17 pan and one 9×13 pan but you can really use any sized pans you want. Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching). I used 16 graham cracker squares on one pan and 10 squares on another. You may have to add or remove graham crackers according to how much dough you have. If you want your cookies thicker you will use more dough and less graham crackers. .Place T. of dough on graham crackers about 1 – 1 ½ inches apart. I averaged about 1 1/2 T. of dough per graham cracker square as seen in the picture above. Press down slightly with fingertips. Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want. Bake for an additional 5 – 7 minutes or more if your cookies are thicker. They will be done when the edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool. For clean cutting make sure cookies are completely cool and cut with a sharp

 

Dreamy Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Dreamy Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Dreamy Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 eggs
1 1/2 white sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/2 cups of white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vinegar

Frosting ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1/4 soft cream cheese 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon rum or bourbon (if desired)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a Bundt pan. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs well (use an electric mixer/stand mixer). In a small bowl, combine food coloring and cocoa. Add cocoa mixture to butter mixture and mix well. Separately add the buttermilk and flour to the butter mixture in small batches, mixing well after each addition. Gently fold in the baking soda and vinegar. Pour batter into greased Bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool for 20-30 minutes and then invert onto a cake platter. To prepare frosting: Mix butter, cream cheese and sugar well. Then add milk and remaining ingredients (except nuts if using). Pour frosting over Bundt cake and top with nuts if desired.

Granny Smith Apple Phyllo Crisp with Infused Vanilla Bean Oil and Vanilla Yogurt

Granny Smith Apple Phyllo Crisp with Infused Vanilla Bean Oil and Vanilla Yogurt

4 sheets phyllo dough
1 T. walnut or almond oil
3 Granny Smith apples
¼ tsp. cinnamon powder
2 T. honey
1 oz. walnut or almond oil
1 vanilla bean
1 T. vanilla extract
½ C. plain nonfat yogurt

Preheat: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Phyllo Squares: Spread out phyllo dough one sheet at a time. Keep remaining phyllo sheets under a moist towel to avoid drying out. Brush walnut oil very lightly on the phyllo sheet to coat evenly. Top sheet with second sheet and repeat procedure. Top with third and final sheet and again, repeat procedure. Cut phyllo into four-inch squares and place on parchment paper and on a baking sheet pan. Place in oven and bake approximately 4 to 6 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy. Turn phyllo squares over and bake for an additional two minutes. While dough is baking, prepare the vanilla oil. Vanilla Oil: Using a sharp knife, cut the vanilla bean in half the long way. Flatten husks with beans facing up. Using the back of the knife, scrape all of the beans out of the husk. Place beans in a small saucepan and add one oz. walnut oil and place on stove. Heat until hot, but not boiling. Remove pan from stove. Apples: Peel and cut apples into quarter-inch slices. Heat a large nonstick pan and add apples and cinnamon. Sauté over a high heat until caramelized, golden brown and soft. Add honey and mix well. Remove from heat and keep warm. Vanilla Yogurt: In a mixing bowl, add vanilla extract and yogurt. Using a whisk, whip until creamy and well-distributed. To Serve: Place a phyllo square in the center of the plate. Top with one oz. sautéed apples and one T. vanilla yogurt. Top with another phyllo sheet, apples and yogurt. And finally, layer a top layer of all ingredients. Drizzle infused vanilla bean oil over the top of the natural apple crisp. Enjoy.

Lavender Ice Cream

Lavender Ice Cream

3/4 C. honey
1 tsp. dried lavender placed in a tea ball or gauze
1 C. half and half
2 C. heavy cream
7 egg yolks

Pour the half and half and the cream into a heavy sauce pan. Add the lavender to this mixture and warm for about 5 minutes. Remove the lavender flowers. Wisk the egg yolks in a bowl until they are frothy. Slowly pour the about half of the warm cream into the mixture of egg yolks as you wisk continuously. Combine the remainder of the yolk and cream mixture into the saucepan and continue to heat on low (stiring constantly) for about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the honey. Chill the mixture and then freeze according to the instructions on your ice cream maker.

Five Fruit Salad

Five Fruit Salad

1 C. seedless grapes
1/2 C. each peeled, sliced and quartered orange, cubed cantaloupe, sliced banana and pineapple chunks
1/4 C. orange juice concentrate
1 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. chopped mint leaves
1/4 tsp. lime zest

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Makes 4 (3/4 C. each) servings

7-Minute Lemon Icing

7-Minute Lemon Icing

2 large egg whites
1-½ C. granulated sugar
3 T. cold water
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
1 tsp. lemon zest, grated

Combine all ingredients, except vanilla and lemon zest, in the top of a double boiler or bowl. Bring water in the bottom of the double boiler or saucepan (if using a bowl) to a simmer. Place top of the double boiler or the bowl over the simmering water. Immediately begin whipping mixture 3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Increase speed to high and beat another 3 minutes. Remove top of double boiler. Add vanilla and lemon zest. Beat 1 minute on high speed until mixture holds stiff peaks and is satiny. Makes enough to fill and frost a double layer 8- or 9-inch cake or the angel food cake.

Sweet Pickled Cherries

Sweet Pickled Cherries

A few notes on this recipe. You may choose whatever whole spices you like, but don’t change the amount or strength of the vinegar. I also increased the pickling liquid by half so that I would have a little more which is how I ended up with 4 pints rather than 3.

1 3/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1 3/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. water
3 cinnamon sticks
2 pounds sweet cherries with stems and pits intact

Prepare your jars and lids. Jars should be kept warm in the canner. Combine vinegar, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove hot jars from canner. Pack each jar with cherries, and add one cinnamon stick to each jar. Pour hot syrup over cherries leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and place lids and rings on each. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove jars from canner and cool.

Fresh Strawberries with Lemon Cream

Fresh Strawberries with Lemon Cream

2 C. plain, vanilla or key lime low-fat yogurt
3 T. honey
¾ tsp. lemon zest, grated
1 T. plus 1 tsp. lemon juice
4 C. strawberries, hulled and halved

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Serve strawberries in individual serving bowls topped with lemon cream.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 166
Fat: 2.3g
Fiber: 3.9g

Lavender Custard (Crème Anglaise á la Lavande)

Lavender Custard (Crème Anglaise á la Lavande)

pear in puff pastry on a pool of Lavender Custard

2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. pesticide-free fresh or dried lavender flowers, without stems

Pour the milk into a saucepan, place over medium heat and heat until small bubbles appear along the edges of the pan. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan, place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and lightly coats the back of the spoon, about 1 minute. Do not allow it to boil. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the custard should register 180°F. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the lavender flowers. Pour the custard into a pitcher, cover with plastic placed directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve. Return the custard to the pitcher, cover with clean plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving.

Pasilla Chile Chocolate Cake (Pastel de Chocolate y Chile Pasilla)

Pasilla Chile Chocolate Cake (Pastel de Chocolate y Chile Pasilla)

2 1/2 oz. dried pasilla chiles (also called chile negro) or 2 1/2 oz. dried ancho chiles plus 1/4 tsp. cayenne (see notes)
1 lb. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 C. (6 oz.) butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
5 large eggs, separated
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. firmly packed dark brown sugar or finely crushed piloncillo sugar (see notes)
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Powdered sugar
1 C. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla or 1 T. coffee-flavored liqueur such as Kahlúa

Lay chiles in a single layer on a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Bake in a 400° oven just until pliable, about 2 minutes. Wearing rubber gloves, break off stems, shake out seeds, and break chiles into small pieces, dropping into a small bowl; discard stems and seeds. Cover chiles with warm water and let soak until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain chiles and put in a blender with 1/3 C. water; whirl until smooth, adding 1 more T. water as needed to make a thick paste. Push purée through a fine strainer; discard residue. You need 1/3 C. chile purée. If using ancho chiles, stir cayenne into the chile purée. Line bottom of a 9-inch cake pan (sides at least 1 1/2 in. tall) with baking parchment. In a large bowl nested over a pan of simmering water (water shouldn’t touch bottom of bowl), combine chocolate and butter. Stir occasionally just until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 8 minutes. Remove from over water and whisk in 1/3 C. chile purée, the egg yolks, vanilla, and flour until mixture is blended. Pour brown sugar into a small bowl and stir or whisk to break up lumps and loosen. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until very frothy and foamy. Gradually add brown sugar to whites, beating until stiff, moist peaks form. With a whisk, fold a third of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture until well incorporated. Then fold in remaining whites just until blended. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake cake in a 425° regular or 400° convection oven until it appears set and center barely jiggles when pan is gently shaken, about 15 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack for about 15 minutes. Run a knife between cake and pan rim, then invert onto a serving platter. Lift off pan and peel off parchment. Let cake cool about 30 minutes, then chill until firm and cold, at least 4 hours; cover cake once completely chilled. For best texture, let cake come to room temperature before serving, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Sift powdered sugar lightly over cake (for a pattern, lay a stencil on cake before sifting the sugar, then carefully lift it off). In a bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Stir in vanilla. Cut cake into wedges and serve each with a dollop of whipped cream.

Sour Cherry Spoon Fruit

Sour Cherry Spoon Fruit

These sticky, sweet-tart preserves are delicious spooned on Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream. But my favorite way to enjoy them is this: Toast a slice or two of good Italian bread. Spread fresh ricotta on top and then spoon the fruit on top of that. Heaven.

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) fresh sour cherries (about 4 C.), pitted with pits reserved
1 C. (140 g) dried sour cherries
2 C. (400 g) vanilla sugar (see page 57)
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 vanilla bean

3 sterilized 1/2-pint jars and their lids
Tight-weave cheesecloth
Kitchen twine
Basic water-bath canning equipment

Combine the fresh and dried cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a nonreactive heavy-bottomed saucepan or preserving pot. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the pan, along with the pod. Let the cherries macerate for about 1 hour. Tie the reserved pits in a piece of cheesecloth with the twine and add the bundle to the pot. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook at a lively simmer, stirring often, until the mixture has darkened and begun to thicken, 20 to 30 minutes. Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 220°F and you can drag a path along the bottom of the pot with a silicone spatula. Remove and discard the cheesecloth bundle. Ladle the hot fruit into the jars, leaving V4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean if necessary7 with a clean, damp cloth, and screw the lids on the jars. Process the jars in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and set them upright on a clean kitchen towel. Let the jars cool to room temperature before storing in a cool, dark place for up to l year. Refrigerate after opening. Store any jars that fail to seal properly in the refrigerator and use those first. Cook’s Note To remove the pits from sour cherries, unbend a clean paper clip into a long “S”-shaped wire with two curved
ends. Gently push the smaller curved end into the cherry7 through the stem end and scoop out the pit.

Old-Fashioned Creamy Lemon Pudding

Old-Fashioned Creamy Lemon Pudding

2 large eggs
1 C. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
2 T. all-purpose flour
2 C. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/3 C. lemon juice
1/4 C. (1/8 lb.) butter
Lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional)

In a bowl, whisk eggs to blend. In a 2- to 3-quart pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and flour. Stir in the buttermilk, then set the mixture over medium heat and stir often until simmering, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue simmering, stirring often, 2 minutes longer. Whisk half the buttermilk mixture into the eggs, then return both to pan, along with lemon peel, lemon juice, and butter. Whisk over medium-low heat until pudding reaches 160° on an instant-read thermometer and very thickly coats a spoon, 4 to 6 minutes; do not boil. Spoon pudding into bowls or heatproof glasses. Serve warm or cool, with whipped cream if desired.

The Queen of Tarts

The Queen of Tarts

About 1 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C. (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine
2/3 C. (6 oz.) mascarpone or Neufchâtel (light cream) cheese
1/2 C. yogurt cheese or sour cream
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh mint leaves
1/4 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. mixed berries such as marionberries, blueberries, raspberries, and boysenberries, rinsed and drained
1/4 C. seedless blackberry, huckleberry, or salal jam

In a bowl, mix 1 C. flour and the brown sugar. With a pastry blender or fingers, cut or rub in butter to make fine crumbs. Add 1 T. water and stir with a fork until evenly moistened. Gather dough into a ball. On a lightly floured board, roll dough into an 11-inch round. Ease dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable rim; if dough tears, overlap edges slightly and press to seal. Gently press dough against bottom and side of pan. Fold excess dough down and flush with pan rim; press against pan side. Bake crust in a 325° oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on a rack. In a bowl with a mixer, beat mascarpone, yogurt cheese, lemon peel, mint, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread evenly in crust. Arrange berries in a single layer over filling. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over medium heat, stir jam until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle over berries. Remove pan rim and cut tart into wedges.

Rhubarb-Almond Tart

Rhubarb-Almond Tart

Butter pastry (directions follow)
1 lb. rhubarb
1 C. sugar
1 C. blanched almonds
6 T. (3/8 lb.) butter or margarine
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp. almond extract

Press butter pastry dough evenly over bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan with removable rim. Bake in a 300° oven until pale gold, about 20 minutes (about 15 minutes in a convection oven). Use hot or cool. Rinse rhubarb, trim and discard dried ends, and cut stalks into 1-inch lengths. Put in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan and mix with 5 T. sugar and 1/4 C. water. Let stand 10 minutes, then stir and set over medium-low heat. When water boils, turn rhubarb pieces over once and cook about 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, whirl nuts to a fine powder. To processor, add remaining sugar and the butter, eggs, and almond extract. Whirl until well blended. Or put the ground almonds in a bowl, add remaining sugar and the butter, eggs, and almond extract, and beat with a mixer until well blended. Pour almond mixture into pastry. With a fork or slotted spoon, lift rhubarb pieces from cooking liquid (save liquid for other uses) and arrange in a pattern on filling. Bake in a 350° oven until filling, which rises around rhubarb, is golden brown and center is firm when pan is gently shaken, 35 to 50 minutes (25 to 40 minutes in a convection oven). Let cool at least 15 minutes; remove pan rim to cut. Serve warm or cool.

Butter pastry: In a food processor or bowl, combine 1 1/3 C. all-purpose flour and 1/4 C. sugar. Add 1/2 C. (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine, in chunks. Whirl, or rub with your fingers, until fine crumbs form. Add 1 large egg yolk; whirl, or mix with a fork, until dough holds together. Firmly pat into a ball.

Fruit crisp for any season

Fruit crisp for any season

If you have seasonal fruit and a few staples in your pantry, you can always make my favorite rustic dessert: a crisp. When I need a last-minute dessert, fruit crisp is always my go-to. It’s so easy and so delicious. You don’t really need a recipe to make a great fruit crisp. You just need great fruit, a little sweetener, some spice, and plenty of crumbly oatmeal cookie-type topping. I like to use cornstarch or arrowroot powder to slightly thicken up juicy fruits, but if you don’t have these starches on hand, all-purpose flour works fine too. Consider this a blueprint, with ideas for fruit crisps throughout the season, and combine fruits, play with spices, and experiment to find your own perfect crisp.

For the topping:
¾ C. rolled oats
1/2 C. lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 C. chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at soft room temperature
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of kosher salt

Filling ingredients (See graphic)
Lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla
ice cream, for serving (optional)

Move an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch-square pan. In a small bowl, combine all the topping ingredients and mix together until it looks uniformly clumpy. Set aside. ^ Choose a filling combination. In a medium bowl, toss the fruit, sweetener, thickener, and extras together, then pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crisp topping all over the filling, then bake until the fruit juices are thickened and bubbly and the topping is golden brown and crunchy, 40 minutes or up to 1 hour, depending on the fruit. Serve the crisp with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream, if desired. Note: If you use frozen fruit, increase the amount of thickener you use a bit.

Peach Slices with Bourbon

Peach Slices with Bourbon

The trick to canning peaches is to look for the freestone varieties. They typically arrive in markets towards the middle point of peach season and they will make your workload far lighter. You can’t tell by looking what kind you have, so ask your grower or the produce person at your local market. Tell them you want them for canning, they’ll understand.

6 pounds yellow peaches
6 tsp. bottled lemon juice divided
3 C. water
3/4 C. pure maple syrup
1/2 C. bourbon

Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth pint-size jars. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While it heats, cut all your peaches in half and remove the pits. Fill a large bowl two-thirds the way up with cold water and add 2 tsp. the lemon juice. The cold water stops the cooking, and the lemon helps prevent the fruit from browning.

Working in batches, proceed to blanch all your peach halves for 60 seconds, placing them in the bowl of lemon water to cool as they come out of the pot. Make sure to give the water a chance to come back up to boiling between batches. If the water isn’t hot enough, you will have a hard time removing the skin during peeling.

Once all the peaches have been balanced and they are cooling down, make the syrup. Combine the remaining 4 tsp. lemon juice, the water, and the maple syrup in a nonreactive saucepan large enough to eventually hold all the peaches. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer.

While the syrup heats, slide the peels off the peaches and cut the peach flesh into wedges, dropping the wedges into the heating syrup as you work. Once all the peaches are in the syrup, increase the heat to high and bring to pot to a boil. Once it boils, remove the pot from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, funnel the peaches into the prepared jars and top with the syrup, leaving 1 1/2 inches of headspace. Add 2 tsp. bourbon to each jar. Tap the jars gently on the countertop to settle the peaches and use a wood chopstick to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. Add more liquid to return the headspace to 1 1/2 inches if necessary.

Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 25 minutes. Note: Most the time I’ll tell you that you can use whatever jar you want, but for these peaches, I actually do recommend opting for regular mouth jars. Their shoulders will help keep the peach slices submerged in the syrup and that will ensure they keep their quality longer

Gin Spiked Mint-Fennel Sorbet

Gin Spiked Mint-Fennel Sorbet

This dessert is reminiscent of a cocktail and is the epitome of refreshing on a hot summer night. Basil can be substituted for the mint.

2 bulbs fennel
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 bunches mint, leaves plucked from stems
4 limes, juiced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 C. gin
1 egg white

Chop fennel. Place in a nonreactive pot and add 4 C. water. Cover and simmer until very tender, approximately 30 minutes. Cool completely. Combine 1 1/2 C. water with sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Cool simple syrup completely.. Purée the fennel with the water it was cooking in, 2 C. simple syrup, mint, lime juice, salt, gin, and egg white in a blender for 1 minute. Strain through a cheesecloth. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Process in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Strawberries in Minted Honey Syrup

Strawberries in Minted Honey Syrup

1 C. water
1 C. honey
2 pints strawberries
1 small bunch fresh mint (about 6 sprigs)

Bring the water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the honey and whisk it into the water until it dissolves fully. Continue simmering over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Hull the strawberries, cut them in half, and set them in a bowl. Pluck the leaves off the stems of mint, tear them with your hands, and drop them into the bowl with the strawberries. Pour the cooled honey syrup over the strawberries and mint, then cover the bowl and transfer it to the fridge. Allow the berries to marinate for a day, and then serve them with their syrup.

Canned Apricots in Honey Syrup

Canned Apricots in Honey Syrup

3 lb. apricots, firm, but not hard
1 C. honey
2 1/2 C. water

Fill canning pot half-way full with water and bring to a boil. Place flat lids in a small pot, cover with hot water and bring to a simmer. Combine honey and water in a medium pot and bring to a simmer. Wash apricots and dry on a towel. Using a paring knife, cut apricots in half and remove pit. Pack jars with apricots, cut side down. TIP: packing apricots cavity side down makes it easier to fit more into the jar. Ladle hot honey syrup into the jars until apricots are covered. Leave 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of the jars. Top jars with hot lids and screw rings. When all the jars have been filled and topped with lids, lower them into the hot water bath. Cover pot, bring water to a boil and process for ten minutes. Turn off the heat, remove lid, and carefully remove preserved apricots.

Apple Rose Tarts with cream cheese

Apple Rose Tarts with cream cheese

1-2 sheets puff pastry
1/4 cup cream cheese
3 T. sugar
cinnamon
1 apple
1 T. lemon juice
3 T. water

Take out the core and thinly slice the apple. Combine the apple slices with lemon juice and water in a bowl and microwave 3 minutes. Cool the bowl in some ice water. Pat dry the apple slices of excess moisture and set aside. Roll out the puff pastry and cut into 4 even strips. Spread cream cheese and sprinkle on sugar onto the puff pastry strips.

Arrange the apple slices and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Fold the pastry puff in half lengthwise and roll them up. Place in greased muffin tins. Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Peach Custard Ice Cream with Fresh Peach Compote

Peach Custard Ice Cream with Fresh Peach Compote

1 1/2 C. whipping cream
1 C. half and half
3/4 C. sugar
5 large egg yolks

1 pound peaches, peeled, sliced
1/4 C. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 large peaches, peeled, sliced
1/2 C. Essencia (orange Muscat wine) or late-harvest Riesling
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

For ice cream: Bring 1 C. cream, half and half, and 1/2 C. sugar just to simmer in medium saucepan. Whisk yolks in medium bowl; gradually whisk in cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Strain into bowl. Refrigerate custard until cold, about 3 hours. Place peaches, corn syrup, and 1/4 C. sugar in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until peaches are heated through, about 4 minutes. Mash to coarse puree. Cool completely. Stir into custard along with vanilla and 1/2 C. cream. Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Ice cream can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and freeze.) For compote: Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Let stand 10 minutes and up to 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Serve ice cream with compote.

Honeyed Ginger Cardamom Apricots

Honeyed Ginger Cardamom Apricots

Juice of 1 lemon
1 quart plus 1 1/2 C. water
2 lbs apricots
3/4 C. honey
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
8 cardamom pods, crushed

In a large bowl mix juice of one lemon and 1 quart of water. This will be your anti-browning solution to maintain the vibrancy of the apricots after they’re canned. Half and pit apricots and drop them in the lemon solution until ready to can. In a small saucepan, bring honey and 1 1/2 C. water to a boil, whisking to make sure honey dissolves completely. Working with hot, sterile pint jars, divide ginger slices between 4 jars and add 2 crushed cardamom pods to each. Pack jars with apricot halves, cut side down. Apricots should be tightly packed but not crushed. Ladle over hot syrup, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a wooden chopstick, apply lids and screw on bands until finger tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes.

Pie Crust

Pie Crust

Pie Crust

1/3 – 1/2 C. Shortening
1 C. Flour
Dash of Vinegar

1 C. Flour will make a single pie shell. Use 2 C. flour for two crust pie.
Pie Crust (Double-Crust Pie)

2 C. All-Purpose Flour
½ tsp. Salt
2/3 C. Shortening or Lard
6-7 tsp. Cold Cold Cold Water

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over part of the mixture; toss it gently with a fork. If you over-toss/mix, the dough will be tough. It should be moist enough to hold together, but not wet. Push that to the side of the bowl. Repeat until all the dough is done. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten one ball of dough with your hands. Roll dough with rolling pin from center to edge, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. The dough will not usually be uniform in color. It normally has small white striations from the shortening. It is good to keep the rolling pin VERY cold. Transfer the dough by rolling it carefully around the pin, then un-rolling it into your 9” pie pan. Do not stretch. Trim around edge if necessary.

Raised Doughnuts

Raised Doughnuts

3 1/4 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Sugar
1 pkg. Yeast, softened in 1/4 C. warm water
1 C. Scalded Milk
2 T. melted Shortening
1 Egg, beaten

Sift together dry ingredients. Beat together wet ingredients; add to dry ingredients and mix well. Let dough rise to double bulk. Roll to 1/2″ thickness, cut with doughnut cutter, and let rise again 45 minutes to an hour. Deep fry until lightly browned.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Pumpkin Pie Cake

1 lg. can Pumpkin Pie Filling (1 lb. 13oz)
1 C. Sugar
3 slightly beaten Eggs
1 13oz. can Evaporated Milk
3 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
½ tsp. Cloves
1 ½ tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ginger
Yellow Cake Mix
1 ½ sticks Butter
¾ – 1 C. chopped Pecans or Walnuts

Mix Pie filling, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, and spices and pour into greased 9 x 13” pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Melt butter and drizzle over top of cake mix. Top with nuts and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Serve warm or cooled with whipped cream.

Homemade Canned Peaches in a Light Vanilla Bean Syrup

Homemade Canned Peaches in a Light Vanilla Bean Syrup

4 lb. (1.8 kg) peaches
1 T. lemon juice
2 C. (400 grams) sugar
1 quart (950 ml) water
1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise (optional)

With a paring knife, slice a shallow “x” into the bottom of each peach. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop a few peaches into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peaches from the water and immediately place them in the ice water. Repeat with the remaining peaches. Fill another large bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Starting with the corners of the “x” on the bottom of the peaches, use your fingers to peel the skin off. Place the peeled peaches in the lemon water to prevent them from browning. Slice the peaches and discard the pits. If desired, scrape the red flesh from the cavities (as it browns over time). Return the peaches to the lemon water while you prepare the syrup. In a large saucepan, combine the quart of water and 2 C. sugar over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the vanilla bean, if using. Add the sliced peaches and bring to a boil. Place the sliced peaches in sterilized jars, packing them fairly tightly. Pour the hot syrup over the peaches into the jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Discard vanilla bean. Cover with lids and process for 20 minutes. Let cool completely. Then store in a cool dry place and consume within a year.

Pearl King’s Zucchini Chocolate Cake

Pearl King’s Zucchini Chocolate Cake

1/2 C. Margarine
1/2 C. Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Sour Milk*
2 1/2 C. Flour
3 T. Cocoa
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Cloves
2 C. finely diced Zucchini (not grated)
1/4 C. Chocolate Chips

Cream margarine, oil and sugar; add eggs, vanilla and sour milk. Mix together all dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Beat well with mixer. Stir in diced zucchini. Spoon batter into greased and floured 13 x 9 pan. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips. Bake at 325 for 40 to 45 minutes.

*Sour Milk: 1 tsp. lemon juice or vinegar + 1/2 C. Milk. Let stand 5 minutes.

Reeses Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies

Reeses Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies

1 C. Butter
1 ½ C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour
2/3 C. Cocoa
¾ tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Salt
2 C. Peanut Butter Chips

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir in chips and chill until firm enough to handle. Shape small amounts of dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookies sheet and flatten slightly with fork. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool one minute before lifting from removing cookies to wire rack.

Sour Cream Raisin Pie

Sour Cream Raisin Pie

2 Eggs, beaten
3/4 C. Sugar
1 C. Sour Cream
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1 1/2 C. Raisins

Beat together the eggs, sugar and sour cream. Add cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Stir in raisins. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Laurie’s Pina Colada Cake

Laurie’s Pina Colada Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
1 can Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
1/2 C. plus 2 tablespoon rum
1/3 C. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can crushed pineapple, well drained
whipped cream, pineapple slices, maraschino cherries, toasted coconut for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix 1/2 C. cream of coconut, 1/2 C. rum, oil, and eggs. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in drained crushed pineapple. Pour into a well greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Cool slightly; remove from pan. With a table knife or skewer poke holes about 1 inch apart in cake almost to bottom. Combine remaining cream of coconut and rum; pour over cake. Chill thoroughly then garnish. Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Soufflés

Chocolate Soufflés

1 C. chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (6 oz.)
2 T. milk or whipping cream
4 large eggs, separated
6 T. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Powdered sugar
Sweetened whipped cream

Lightly butter four ramekins (2/3-C. size, deep or shallow). Set ramekins in a shallow, 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Combine chocolate and milk in a microwave-safe bowl; heat at full power (100%) in a microwave oven at 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted and smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute total. Let stand. In a large bowl, with a mixer at high speed, whip egg whites until they form a dense foam, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle in C. of the sugar and beat until whites hold short, distinct peaks, 1 to 4 minutes. Scrape into another bowl. In mixer bowl, whip egg yolks at high speed until they begin to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 T. sugar and continue beating until yolks are very thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add melted chocolate and beat until well blended. Add about a third of the egg whites to egg yolk and chocolate mixture, and beat slowly to mix well. Fold in remaining whites until fairly well incorporated. Scoop soufflé mixture equally into ramekins; mixture can mound above rims, but make sure it’s not dripping over edges. Bake in a 375° oven until soufflés are puffy and dry on the surface, about 8 minutes for very soft centers, 10 minutes for creamy centers, and 12 minutes for firm centers. Transfer ramekins to plates and rub powdered sugar through a fine sieve onto soufflés. Offer whipped cream to top soufflés.

Doris’ Strawberry Salad

Doris’ Strawberry Salad

2 C. Crushed unsalted Pretzels
3 T. Sugar
3/4 C. melted Butter
1 8oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 C. Powdered Sugar
8oz. thawed Cool Whip “La Creme”
2 C. Miniature Marshmallows
2 C. Water
2 3oz. packages Strawberry Jello
2 12oz. packages frozen Strawberries, partially thawed

Mix pretzels, sugar and melted butter. Press into bottom of a 9 x 12″ pan and bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fold in whipped topping and marshmallows. Spread over cold crust. Boil water in saucepan, add jello and dissolve completely. Add strawberries. Pour strawberry mixture over cream cheese crust. Refrigerate until well set; cut into squares to serve. Variation: Use vanilla wafers instead of pretzels, 3 baskets fresh raspberries instead of strawberries.

Fresh Strawberry Bread

Fresh Strawberry Bread

½ C. Butter
1 C. Sugar
½ tsp. Almond Extract
2 Eggs, separated
2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 C. crushed or chopped Strawberries

Cream together butter, sugar and extract. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Sift together remaining ingredients except strawberries. Add part of the flour mixture to the creamed sugar, then some berries, mixing each time. Continue to add alternating flour and berries until all is mixed together. Beat egg whites until sift and fold into berry mixture. Line loaf pan with greased wax paper. Turn batter into pan and bake at 350 60 minutes or until it tests done. Cool 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Cheese Cake & Apricot Pastries

Cheese Cake & Apricot Pastries

15×12 inches sheet of Puff Pastry
½ package Cream Cheese
¾ cup well drained Ricotta cheese
1 egg
â…“-1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Apricot Jam (or any thick jam)
Egg Wash
1 egg
1 T. water
¼ – ⅓ cup sugar

Mix cream cheese with sugar, until smooth. Add fresh cheese, egg & vanilla extract. Stir everything until well combined. Cut frozen puff pastry into 3 in x 3 in squares. Put 1 full tablespoon of cheese filling right in the middle. Top with 1 teaspoon of jam. Place in the freezer until the filling is well frozen. About 1-2 hours. When ready to serve, heat oven to 400F. To make the egg wash – whisk the egg & water. Brush the sides of the pastry with the egg wash. Sprinkle sides of each pastry with about 1 teaspoon of sugar. Work quickly so the pastries do not thaw. Transfer squares to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, placing them 1 inch apart. Bake for 15+ minutes, until tops and bottoms are golden in color. If the tops are browned but the bottoms have not baked through, put on lower rack and cover the top with foil, until the bottoms bake through. Allow to slightly cool and serve right away.

Aunt Velma’s Zucchini Cake

Aunt Velma’s Zucchini Cake

3 c. finely shredded or chopped zucchini
1 1/2 c. Crisco oil
3 c. sugar
4 eggs
3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. nuts
1 c. flaked coconut

Mix with a spoon; cream together sugar, eggs and oil; add squash (zucchini), nuts, and coconut; add dry ingredients. Blend well (no liquid is in recipe). Makes a large cake, 11″x13″ or bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. (Good without icing.) Keeps and freezes well.

Cream Cheese Icing: Mix 1 stick softened butter with 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese. Add 1 pound powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread on cake.

Apple Coffee Ring

Apple Coffee Ring

2 C. Flour
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
4 T. Shortening
2 T. Sugar
3/4 C. Milk
4 C. chopped Apple
1/2 C. Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 C. chopped Nuts
1/4 C. Corn Syrup

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening and sugar. Add milk. Stir in apples, sugar, cinnamon, nuts and corn syrup. Roll into log, shape into ring. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Sweet & Savoury Dandelion Rosemary Shortbread

Sweet & Savoury Dandelion Rosemary Shortbread

2 cups brown or white rice flour
1 cup organic, unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup organic sugar of your choice
1/4 cup emmental cheese (Swiss cheese – You can substitute sharper hard cheeses, but watch the salt! If you go for parmesan or asiago, then skip the sea salt)
1/4 cup dandelion petals & greens, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely-chopped rosemary
black pepper to taste
sea salt to sprinkle on top

In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar and honey until light & fluffy. Add in dandelion petals and chopped leaves. Be sure to remove the green sepals. I just pinch them until petals pop out. Mix in just until combined. Stir the rice flour into butter mixture in 2 additions. After the first addition, stir in the emmental cheese, rosemary and a bit of fresh ground black pepper (to taste). Stir in the 2nd addition of flour to make smooth dough. Roll the dough in waxed paper to form a firm cylinder. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) Slice your cylinder of gorgeous, dandelion/rosemary/pepper-flecked dough into 1 inch thick rounds (*note* in the photo the cookies are thinner – I was running short on dough and needed A LOT of cookies for an event, so I cut them thinner and reduced the time) using a sharp knife and place a good 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes—rotating your pan half-way through. Keep a keen eyeball on them during the last few minutes. You want them just golden. The cookies will be very delicate when they first come out of the oven. Spare yourself some heartache and let them cool on the cookie sheet. When cool, transfer them to…your mouth.

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

1 C. granulated sugar
2 C. sliced rhubarb (1/2 in. thick)
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 C. plus 2 T. butter
1/3 C. firmly packed brown sugar
2 T. bourbon or orange juice
1/2 C. pecan halves
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 carton (7 1/2 to 8 oz.) crème fraîche or sour cream
2 C. all-purpose flour

In a bowl, combine 1/4 C. granulated sugar, the rhubarb, lemon peel, and 1 T. lemon juice. In a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat, melt 2 T. butter; add brown sugar, bourbon, and remaining 1 T. lemon juice; stir often until caramel has thickened and is medium brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Spread in a buttered 9-inch round cake pan (with 2-in.-tall sides). Arrange pecans over caramel. Scatter rhubarb mixture on top. In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat remaining 1/2 C. butter and 3/4 C. granulated sugar until blended. Beat in eggs until smooth. Beat in baking powder, vanilla, and salt, half the crème fraîche, then half the flour; repeat with remaining crème fraîche and flour. Drop spoonfuls of batter over rhubarb; spread smooth. Bake in a 350° oven until cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool on a rack 15 minutes. Run a knife between cake and pan sides. Invert onto a plate. Serve warm.

Taffy

Taffy

3 C. Granulated Sugar22a6bd5aaace981bb6f39ce378392d0a
1 2/3 C. Karo Syrup
2/3 C. Water
1/4 C. Margarine
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Salt

Rube sides of kettle with part of the butter. Put sugar, syrup, water and salt into kettle and cook to hard ball stage, 260 degrees. (Use candy thermometer, temperature is important). For a dry taffy, increase heat 2 degrees, for a chewy taffy, decrease heat 2 degrees. Add butter and vanilla when the taffy reaches temperature. Pour out taffy onto a cold buttered cookie sheet. Pull the taffy with the ends of your fingers, which have been buttered slightly. Pull and fold, but do not squeeze. Pull and fold and pull and fold until taffy reaches taffy like state. You can use different extracts other than vanilla for other flavors.