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Category: Baked Goods

Pear and Cardamom Cobbler

Pear and Cardamom Cobbler

PNW Pear and Cardamom Cobbler

For the Biscuit Dough 1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup coconut sugar (or granulated) 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cardamom 8 T. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced 1 egg, cold ¾ to 1 cup heavy cream, cold For the Cobbler ¼ cup brown sugar 2 tsp. ground cardamom 2 to 3 ripe pears, cored and sliced 1 T. cold unsalted butter, diced Powdered sugar, for garnish, or serve with vanilla bean ice cream

Preheat the oven to 35O°F. To prepare the dough, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a large bowl. Cut in the diced butter with a pastry cutter or fork or even your fingers until the flour mixture is crumbly. Once the butter is cut into the flour mixture, stir in the egg and ¾ cup heavy cream, just until nicely blended. Add the additional ¼ cup cream if your mixture hasn’t reached dough consistency. Press the dough into the bottom of a greased 9-by-l 3-inch baking dish or a 9-inch round cake pan. To prepare the cobbler, mix together the brown sugar and cardamom in a small bowl. Place the pear slices over the dough in the baking dish or cake pan and sprinkle the brown sugar and cardamom evenly over the top. Place the butter over the pears. Bake for 2 5 to 3 0 minutes, or until the cobbler is golden brown. Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Garnish with powdered sugar or serve with vanilla bean ice cream.  Note: I used Bose pears for my cobbler, but you can use any type of pear you’ve got on hand or find at your farmers’ market. Cardamom is most fragrant and flavorful when it’s fresh. If your cardamom has been in your pantry longer than 6 months, you may want to use a tsp. more in the cobbler or purchase a fresh bottle of cardamom. There is nothing like fresh cardamom in a baked recipe

Lemon Stinging Nettle Cake

Lemon Stinging Nettle Cake

Lemon Stinging Nettle Cake

 

2 cups (100g) packed raw young nettle leaves (use the top 4-6 leaves)

¾ cup (200g) butter at room temperature

¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

zest and juice of ½ lemon

2 cups (250g) all-purpose (plain) flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

FOR THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM:

⅔ cup (150g) butter at room temperature

2 ½ cups (300g) powdered icing sugar

Zest and juice of ½ a lemon

 

Preheat oven to 325°F / 170°C. Grease and line two 7” (18cm) round cake tins. Using rubber gloves, carefully wash the stinging nettle leaves and remove any stems. Place in a pan of boiling water and boil for 3-4 minutes. The sting will be removed with the boiling. Rinse under cold water, drain and puree with a stick blender (note: if you’re struggling to puree it, add the lemon juice at this stage). Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the pureed nettles, vanilla, zest and lemon juice. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and stir to gently combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins, push to the edges and level, then bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tins and then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing. For the Lemon Frosting: In a large bowl, cream the butter until fluffy. Add in the icing sugar and beat. Beat in the zest and a little of the lemon juice. Add more lemon juice to make it a frosting consistency and beat again. Store in the fridge until ready to use.  Spread a little of the buttercream between the layers of the completely cooled cakes and sandwich together. Cover the cake in the remaining buttercream and decorate with blackberries and lemon zest.

OAMC Buttermilk Biscuits

OAMC Buttermilk Biscuits

OAMC Buttermilk Biscuits

Biscuits are one of those rare things that actually improve when frozen (pie dough and cookie dough also fall into this category). It’s likely about the butter. For this recipe, we use the grated frozen butter method. This technique suspends little butter flakes throughout the dough, which rise and create flaky pastry during cooking. Freezing the dough before baking ensures the fat and milk solids stay put (essential for creating a flaky result).

21/2 pounds self-rising flour (9 cups), plus more if needed

1 T. kosher salt

1 pound unsalted butter, frozen

4 cups whole (full-fat) buttermilk

Unsalted butter or jam, for serving (optional)

 

In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture, stirring and coating the butter with flour as you grate. Once all of the butter is in, use a pastry blender to distribute the butter evenly in the flour. It should have a pebbly texture. Next, pour in the buttermilk and, using your hands, incorporate it with the flour mixture until a shaggy dough ball forms. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and, still using your hands, carefully pat it into a loaf shape, incorporating more flour as needed until the dough is not sticky and is easy to manipulate. Gently pat the dough out into an even layer about 3/4 inch thick. Using a 2½-inch round biscuit cutter, and firmly pressing straight down (without twisting the cutter), punch out as many biscuits as possible. Gather up the dough scraps and gently form into a ball. Press the dough out into a ¾-inch-thick layer and repeat to punch out more biscuits until you have about 24 total. TO FREEZE: Arrange the cut biscuit dough on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze for at least 4 hours or up to overnight for a formative freeze (see this page). Transfer to a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag, label and date, and freeze for up to 4 months. TO BAKE: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the biscuits, with their edges touching, on a rimmed baking sheet and top each with a small pat of butter. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes from room temperature or 14 to 16 minutes from frozen, until puffed and golden brown on top. Serve warm, with more butter or jam for spreading if you like.

Spice Cake from Yellow Cake Mix

Spice Cake from Yellow Cake Mix

Spice Cake from Yellow Cake Mix

 

1 yellow cake mix box

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves

 

Prepare as directed on box.

Magic Custard Cake

Magic Custard Cake

Magic Custard Cake

 

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted Butter

2 cups (480ml) Milk

4 Eggs , separated

4 drops White Vinegar

1 1/4 cups (150g) Confectioner’s Sugar

1 T. (15ml) Water

1 cup (125g) Flour

1 tsp. (5ml) Vanilla Extract

extra confectioner’s sugar for dusting

 

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter or grease a 8″x8″ baking dish. Melt the butter and set aside to slightly cool. Warm the milk to lukewarm and set aside. Whip the egg whites and vinegar to stiff peaks. Set aside. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light. Mix in the melted butter and the T. of water for about 2 minutes or until evenly incorporated. Mix in the flour until evenly incorporated. Slowly beat in the milk and vanilla extract until everything is well mixed. Fold in the egg whites, 1/3 at a time. Repeat until all of the egg whites are folded in. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-60 minutes or until the cake is barely jiggly in the center. If the top browns too quick before the minimum of 45 minutes, then cover the cake with aluminum foil and cook for remainder of time needed. Allow cake to completely cool before cutting and then dust with confectioner’s sugar. For faster cooling you can place the cake in the fridge. Even after fully cooled, it will still be slightly jiggly because it’s a custard layer cake.

Lemon Custard Magic Cake

Lemon Custard Magic Cake

Lemon Custard Magic Cake

 

4 cold eggs, separated

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups lukewarm milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

4 T. melted butter, cooled

Zest and juice of one lemon

 

Line a 2-inch tall 8×8-inch cake pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 325°F.  In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, egg yolks, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and 1/2 cup of the milk. Whisk to combine and then whisk in the remaining milk.  In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the liquid mixture, folding in one-third of the egg whites at a time. Be sure the liquid at the bottom of the mixing bowl is fully incorporated each time.  Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake the cake for 45 minutes until the top is lightly golden and a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow the cake to fully cool in the pan for at least one hour. Remove the cake from the pan, pulling it out using the sides of the parchment paper. Dust the top with powdered sugar before slicing and serving at room temperature or chilled.

Italian Sesame Seed Cookies

Italian Sesame Seed Cookies

Italian Sesame Seed Cookies

 

½ pound butter – softened

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Anise Flavoring/ extract

3 cups flour (may need to add more)

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Milk (for dipping, optional)

12-16 ounces Sesame Seeds (May be lightly toasted in oven, if desired, before using for cookies.)

.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar.  Mix in eggs, vanilla, and a few drops of anise flavoring. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture to form a soft dough. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll them into small thumb size logs (about 1 ½ to 2 inches long and about ½ inch thick).  You may want to flour hands before shaping cookies. Put sesame seeds shallow bowl or plate.  Roll cookie logs in sesame seeds to coat.  (Optional:  Pour milk and a few drops of anise flavoring in a shallow bowl.  Put sesame seeds in another shallow bowl or plate. Dip dough into milk and then roll them in sesame seeds to coat.).  Place on a greased or parchment covered cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 – 15 minutes. Mine took longer. Keep peeking.  Cool on racks.  Can be frozen.  Makes about 2 to 3 dozen

Funny Face Decorated Cookies

Funny Face Decorated Cookies

Funny Face Decorated Cookies

 

Chocolate cookie dough

Sugar cookie dough

Gingerbread dough

Royal icing

Gel food coloring

Free downloadable cookie template

Scissors

Rolling pin

Paring knife

12″ pastry bags

#1 or #2 round tip

Toothpicks

Paper plates or parchment (for experimenting)

 

We used three kinds of cookie dough created by cookie expert Bernard S.: chocolate cookie dough, sugar cookie dough and gingerbread dough. You can use your favorite versions—the ones passed down through your family or the ones that come refrigerated from your grocery store. If you’re making your dough, once it’s mixed up, put it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. Then print the free downloadable cookie templates and cut the faces out with scissors. First, sprinkle a little flour on a sheet of parchment paper. This will help make sure your dough doesn’t stick. Roll all of your chilled cookie dough out onto the parchment — it should be a scant 1/4 inch thick. Then transfer the whole dough-covered sheet of parchment to a large baking sheet and pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the freezer and place the templates on the dough. Trace them with the tip of your paring knife, then cut them out. Remove the extra dough and put the cookie faces back in the freezer to keep those edges nice and sharp when they bake. Then just follow the baking instructions for each recipe and let your cookie faces cool completely. (This is really important!) Pro tip: We’re all about the cookie decorating here, but great cookies start with great dough. Check out our best tips and tricks for rolling your dough. Now for the fun part—decorating! Your cookies must be completely cool before you start decorating. Otherwise, the icing will break down. If you have to bake and decorate on the same day, let the cookies cool to the touch on the rack, then give them a quick chill in the freezer (about 10 minutes). Pro tip: Bake your cookie faces a week ahead and freeze them in a zipper bag ’til you’re ready to decorate. Start with the basic royal icing recipe mixed in a super-clean glass or metal bowl. (Fats can break down the icing, so you want your bowl completely free of oil or butter residue.) Mix the royal icing to the consistency of cake frosting and set it aside.  Next, separate the royal icing into as many smaller (and clean!) bowls as you want colors. You’re going to thin it down by mixing in the tiniest bit of water. To test the consistency, run a knife or spatula through the icing.  When it takes a good 20 seconds to fill back in, it’s the right consistency. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more water and mix again. Too thin? Add a little more powdered sugar. Pro tip: Adding too much water will make your icing runny. A spray bottle will allow you to control the amount of water so you can get the right consistency. We used plain white royal icing and added tiny dabs of gel food coloring to create different shades of brown. You’ll notice we kept our color palette super simple because #aesthetic. If you want a wider range of options, check out this post about food coloring ratios for different skin tones. We’ve provided our sketches to show different ways to try hair and noses and textures. But we don’t know your fam—you do. Play around! Fill your pastry bag with icing and pop on a no. 1 tip. For the larger areas, like hair and beards, start by outlining with royal icing then fill it in. If there are any open spaces, you can use a toothpick to move the icing around before it starts to dry. For a little dimension, let your first color dry completely (about 2 hours) before adding another on top in a slightly thinned down icing. (If you add icing to wet icing, it’ll all smooth out in one layer.)

Cake Mix Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Cake Mix Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Cake Mix Lemon Cheesecake Bars

 

1 box Yellow Cake

¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

3 eggs

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons lemon juice

 

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In large bowl, beat dry cake mix, butter and 1 of the eggs with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom of ungreased 13×9-inch pan. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup; refrigerate. Beat remaining 2 eggs into remaining cream cheese mixture on medium speed until blended. Spread over cake mixture. Bake bars 23 to 28 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Spread with reserved cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until firm. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Cape Cod Cranberry Scones with a Summery Lemon Glaze

Cape Cod Cranberry Scones with a Summery Lemon Glaze

Cape Cod Cranberry Scones with a Summery Lemon Glaze

 

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

zest of one orange

5 tbsp butter

1/2 cup dried craisins

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1  medium egg

1 tbsp milk or heavy cream

1 tbsp sugar

Lemon Glaze

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 cups powdered sugar sifted

1 tbsp butter

zest of one lemon

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl, add zest of one orange. Cut in butter using a pastry blender until it resembles small peas. Stir in the craisins. Mix together 1/2 cup milk and sour cream in a measuring cup. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients, and stir gently until well blended. Do not overwork the dough or they will be tough. With floured hands, pat the dough into one large disk about 1″ tall. Place the disk on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and with a sharp knife or bench knife, score into 8 triangles cutting almost all the way through the dough. (If not baking until the next day, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at this point.) Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of milk or heavy cream. Brush the top of the scone with the egg wash and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. sugar. Let them rest for about 10 minutes. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown, but not deep brown and the scone is cooked through. Cool for about 10 min. while preparing the glaze. Mix the lemon juice with the powdered sugar until dissolved in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in the butter and lemon zest. Microwave for 30 seconds and whisk until the glaze is smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. Let it set a minute before serving. Enjoy!

No Knead Focaccia

No Knead Focaccia

No Knead Focaccia

 

4 cups/500g white bread flour (or swap half of the strng white flour for more nutritious flours such as spelt or rye or whole wheat)

1 1/4-oz/7g (1 envelope) instant dried yeast

1 T. honey (or agave syrup, for vegans)

4 tablespoons/60ml olive oil

For the herb garden topping

Flaky salt or 1 T. of caper brine or olive brine, plus a mix of any leaves and edible petals that you can grow or forage, such as sage, marjoram, rosemary, marigolds, rose petals, pansies, fig leaves

 

Measure the flour into your biggest mixing bowl. Using a big wooden spoon or spatula, stir in 2-3 teaspoons/10-15g salt, the yeast, honey, and 1 2/3 C. lukewarm water. Stir well until it comes together and there are no unmixed bits. Add up to 2 ½ tablespoons/40ml more water and keep stirring until you have a wet, shaggy dough. Cover with a plate and let rise at room temperature for at least 4 hours or up to 8. It should be very bubbly and will have doubled or tripled in volume (hence the need for your biggest bowl). Take a big heavy pan—I use a 12-inch/30cm iron pan but if you don’t have something similar, it will also work fine on a lined baking sheet. Line it with parchment paper if it’s a pan that sticks. Pour 2 T. of the olive oil into the bottom of the pan or sheet and gently pour in the bubbly dough. Using your fingers, make deep holes in the dough, like craters on the moon. Spread the final 2 T. of oil over the top. Let rise at room temperature for another 2 hours or so until it is even more risen and bubbly. When you are nearly ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450° F. Decorate the focaccia with a range of leaves and petals (bear in mind that they shrink in the oven so use more than you think you need) and sprinkle with a little flaky salt or drizzle 1 T. of brine from ajar of capers, which adds a delicious tang. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the color of autumn leaves. Cool on a wire rack.

Granny’s Batter Bread

Granny’s Batter Bread

Granny’s Batter Bread

 

1 1/4 cups warm water

2 1/4 teaspoon or one package yeast

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar, honey, or sucanat

3 cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the sugar, honey, or sucanat, butter, and half of the flour. Beat for two minutes at medium speed or mix by hand with a wooden spoon 300 strokes. Add remaining flour and mix in with a wooden spoon. If using whole wheat flour, you may need slightly less than the 3 cups listed. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Stir the batter down with a wooden spoon and spread evenly in a greased 9x5x3 loaf pan. You may need to put some flour on your hands to press the batter into the corners of the pan. Cover the loaf pan and allow to rise again in a warm place until the batter reaches about 1/4 inch from the top of the loaf pan, about 30 minutes. Bake the bread at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. The loaf will sound hollow when tapped. Remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool on a rack before cutting. If desired, brush the top with melted butter before serving.

Huckleberry Cream Cheese Pie

Huckleberry Cream Cheese Pie

Huckleberry Cream Cheese Pie

 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

3 cups huckleberries (divided)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 baked and cooled 9 or 10 inch crust (I used Pate Sucree)

 

Using an electric mixer and a small bowl, whip together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Spread onto bottom of baked and cooled crust and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a small pot combine 1 cup huckleberries and water. Heat over medium heat until almost boiling. Strain and mash mixture through a sieve leaving seeds and pulp and return juice to the pot (should be 1 cup).  Mix together cornstarch and sugar and add to juice in pot. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until mixture has thickened and juices are transparent. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Top cream cheese mixture in crust with 2 cups of berries. Spoon glaze mixture over berries return pie to refrigerator. Chill for 2 to 3 hours before cutting. Makes 6 servings

Rhubarb Cream Pie

Rhubarb Cream Pie

Rhubarb Cream Pie

 

1- 9 inch unbaked pie shell

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 heaping tablespoons all purpose flour (see note)

2 eggs, beaten

Pinch salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups sliced rhubarb

 

Preheat oven to 400. Combine butter sugar together and cream until light and fluffy. Add flour and mix to incorporate. Whisk in beaten eggs, salt and vanilla. Fold in rhubarb then pile into pie unbaked pie shell. Place pie onto a sheet pan to catch any drips, and bake in preheated oven for 10  minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 45 to 50 minutes or until filling has formed a golden colored top crust. Remove to a wire rack and cool before serving. Refrigerate leftovers. Note – if using frozen rhubarb, increase flour to 3 heaping tablespoons and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Swedish Almond Cookie

Swedish Almond Cookie

Swedish Almond Cookie

 

1 cup of almonds, ground (100g)

1 Tbs all-purpose flour

1 cup of white sugar (100g)

1 cup of salted butter (100g)

2 Tbs cream

 

Preheat oven to 424F (Regulo 6). Ground almonds in a food processor. Add almonds and the rest of the ingredients into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer, remove from heat. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or butter and flour the baking sheet well. Spoon out mixture with a tablespoon, leaving plenty of room for spreading. Bake about 4 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Remove, cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, until the cookies can be loosened with a spatula without breaking. This should be the texture of a rubber coaster, bendy but not breaky. Roll cookie around the handle of a wooden spoon and rest in a single layer to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Caramelized Onion and Bacon Quiche

Caramelized Onion and Bacon Quiche

Caramelized Onion and Bacon Quiche

 

1 unbaked 10 inch pie crust, store bought or my favorite pie crust recipe

1 cup sweet yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion), sliced into thin strips

2 tablespoons butter

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (finely chopped ham could also be used)

1 cup shredded cheddar or Colby-jack cheese

6 eggs

3/4 cup cream

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley or chives (optional garnish)

 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. First, prepare your pie crust. Make sure that you press the fluted top of the crust to the sides of the pie plate to keep it from sliding down when it bakes. Next, caramelized the onions. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium sized skillet. Cook the onions over medium to medium low heat until golden brown. Spread the caramelized onions, cheese and bacon evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. Whisk together the egg mixture. In a medium sized bowl whisk six eggs and 3/4 cup of cream, add salt and pepper. Pour the eggs in the pie crust. Cover the quiche in aluminum foil that has been sprayed lightly with cooking spray. The foil will keep the pie crust protected while the filling cooks. Bake the quiche covered in foil for 55 minutes. Then carefully remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes. You will know the quiche is cooked when the center is firm and the edges are beginning to turn a golden brown. Finally, sprinkle some finely chopped parsley or chives on top.  This caramelized onion and bacon quiche has a buttery pie crust with a delicious savory sweet onion filling. It’s a great dish for Mother’s Day or any spring meal. Sweet onion season begins in April so look for all those delicious Vidalia or Texas 1015 onions and cook up a simply delicious quiche

Cinnamon Buttermilk Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Cinnamon Buttermilk Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Cinnamon Buttermilk Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

 

3 C. cake flour

1 ½ C. sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 T. cinnamon

2 C. buttermilk

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 16-oz box powdered sugar

1 T. vanilla extract

 

To make the cake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a large 13 x 18 inch jelly roll pan or sheet tray with cooking spray. Cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, then add the eggs one by one—beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and continue beating until batter is smooth and combined. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in another large bowl and add alternately with the buttermilk to the butter and sugar mixture. Continue beating until there are no lumps, then pour batter into your greased pan, smoothing out the top with a rubber spatula. Bake cake for 30-35 minutes until edges are golden and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool completely before icing. To make the frosting, beat the butter with the powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy—about 10 minutes on high. Spread frosting over the cooled cake and cut into small squares.

Alfajores de Dulce de Leche

Alfajores de Dulce de Leche

Alfajores de Dulce de Leche

 

4 C. all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1/4 C. plus 2 T. confectioners’ sugar

1 1/2 C. (3 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 C. water

Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

For the Dulce de Leche:

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

 

Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking mat (such as Silpat). Sift together flour and confectioners’ sugar. In a food processor, pulse together flour mixture and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 20 seconds. With machine running, pour in the water in a slow steam and process just until the dough comes together, about 20 seconds. Form the dough into 2 flattened disks and wrap well in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°. On a well-floured work surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds from dough and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with other disk of dough. Gather up the scraps from both batches, and reroll and cut. Sprinkle half the rounds with sanding sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. About 30 minutes before serving, spread 1 to 2 tsp. of the cold dulce de leche on bottom of unsugared cookies. Place sugared cookies on top to make sandwiches. Serve immediately. Unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For the dulce de leche: Empty milk into the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until milk is thick and amber in color, about 5 hours. Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon to smooth out. Transfer to a clean bowl, and refrigerate several hours or up to 3 days.

Best Holiday Dinner Rolls Ever

Best Holiday Dinner Rolls Ever

Best Holiday Dinner Rolls Ever

 

2 T. yeast

2 C. warm water

1/3 C. sugar

1/3 C. butter

2 tsp. salt

2/3 C. nonfat dry milk

1 egg

5-6 C. all-purpose flour

 

In a large bowl, mix yeast and water and let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, shortening, salt, dry milk, egg, and 2 C. of the flour. Beat together until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour until a soft dough is formed. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl; cover and let rise until doubles in bulk. Punch down; divide into thirds. Roll out one-third of dough into a circle; cut into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Starting at the wide end, roll up each piece into a crescent.  lace on greased baking sheet with point on bottom. Repeat with remainder of dough. Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise until double in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve warm with honey butter or cran-raspberry butter.

Orange Pistachio Cranberry Scones

Orange Pistachio Cranberry Scones

Orange Pistachio Cranberry Scones

 

Zest of 2 oranges

⅓ C. plus 3 T. sugar (divided use)

2 C. all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder

½ tsp. sea salt

4 T. cold butter, cut into small pieces

2 large eggs

⅓ C. cream

¼ C. chopped pistachios

¼ C. chopped dried cranberries

1 C. heavy whipping cream

 

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, rub the orange zest with the 1/3 C. sugar with your fingers—this way, the oils will perfume all of the sugar. Combine the sugar and zest with the flour, baking powder and salt in the food processor and pulse a time or two. Add the pats of very cold butter (I often freeze the cut cubes in advance) to the mixture, and pulse three or four times, or until you have large and small pebble-like pieces throughout. With the motor running, add the eggs 1 at a time, then the cream. Add the pistachios and cranberries and pulse until combined. Turn dough out on a floured board, smashing it down with your hands so it’s a large, flat disc, about 1-inch thick. Cut into 6 pie-like wedges and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown. While the scones are in the oven, put the whipping cream in a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment. Beat until it begins to thicken, sprinkle in the remaining 3 T. sugar and continue until it’s a soft consistency. Serve the scones warm with whipped cream and jam.

Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake

Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake

Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake

 

1 C. all-purpose flour

½ C. local whole-wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sea salt

¾ C. organic cane sugar

¾ C. organic whole-milk yogurt or Greek yogurt

½ C. olive oil or grapeseed oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 C. leftover Cranberry-Orange Relish

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan with oil or butter and dust with 1 T. flour, discarding excess. Whisk together flours, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, blend the sugar, yogurt, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth and well combined. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, then carefully swirl in the cranberry sauce, being sure not to fully incorporate it or the cake will turn pink! Scrape into the prepared pan and bake 50–55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to continue to cool.

Apple Ginger Cake with Whipped Cinnamon Crème Fraîche

Apple Ginger Cake with Whipped Cinnamon Crème Fraîche

Apple Ginger Cake with Whipped Cinnamon Crème Fraîche

 

2 C. heavy cream

4 T. cultured buttermilk

4 apples

1½ C. flour

1¼ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided

1 C. sugar

½ C. butter, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. grated ginger

2 T. brown sugar

Sliced almonds

 

To make the crème fraîche, mix heavy cream and buttermilk in a clean jar and secure a piece of cheesecloth over the top with a rubber band to allow some air flow. Place on the counter for 12 to 24 hours until it thickens (if your kitchen is cold, it might take longer). Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you don’t have time to make your own, you can use store-bought or replace with sour cream. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Cut a round piece of parchment paper and place in the bottom of the pan. If using a regular cake pan, line with parchment paper, enough to hang over the sides so that it’s easy to remove the cake after baking. Peel, core and slice apples into half moons and set aside. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the sugar and butter for about 1 minute until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and beat until just mixed. Add ½ C. crème fraîche and ginger; beat until combined. Mix in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula and stir until there are no lumps or dry bits of flour. Fold about ¼ of the sliced apples into the batter and stir until fully coated. Pour batter into the greased pan and smooth out the top. With the remaining apples, create a pattern on top, laying slices however you like and pressing them slightly into the batter. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the apples begin to brown too quickly, place a piece of foil on top during the last 10 minutes of baking. While the cake bakes, use an electric mixer to whip 1 C. of the remaining crème fraîche with brown sugar and ½ tsp. cinnamon until stiff peaks form. Store in the fridge until the cake is ready to serve. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Run a knife along the outside edge before removing from the pan. Cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Just before serving, sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped crème fraîche.

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

 

2 C. buttercream frosting (Savory Sweet Life recipe here)

Blue food coloring

1 ½ C. sweetened shredded coconut

6 large puff marshmallows cut in half with kitchen scissors to form the eyes

24 chocolate chips

1 dozen unfrosted cupcakes

6 chocolate chip cookies cut in half

 

Add a few drops of food coloring to the frosting. Mix the frosting until the color is uniformly blended in. Add the shredded coconut to a zip top bag. Add a few drops of food coloring to the coconut and seal the bag. Shake the coconut until uniformly tinted. Add more drops if needed until desired color is achieved. Transfer the tinted coconut to a bowl. Using a tooth pick or pointed chop stick, poke a hole through each marshmallow off center and closer to the edge. With its tip pointed down, push one chocolate chip down deep into the non-sticky flat side of the marshmallow to form the pupil. Repeat this with each chocolate chip and marshmallow. To frost the cupcake, place a C. of frosting into medium large zip-top bag. Seal the bag and cut one of the bottom corners off. Pipe enough frosting (2-3 tablespoons) in a circular motion to cover the surface of the cupcake. You can also frost each cupcake using a butter knife. Dip the cupcake tops into the shredded coconut until fully coated. Place two marshmallow eyes side by side towards the top of each cupcake. Finish the cupcakes off by placing a half cookie either flat or at a 45 degree angle towards the bottom of the cupcake to complete the famous Cookie Monster look.

Spiked Snickerdoodle Sugar Cookie

Spiked Snickerdoodle Sugar Cookie

Spiked Snickerdoodle Sugar Cookie

 

2 C. (450 grams) softened butter

2 C. (402 grams) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 T. (29.5 milliliters) vanilla extract

¼ C. (59 milliliters) bourbon, Screwball Cookie Dough Bourbon preferred (optional)

6 C. (750 grams) flour

3 T. (23.4 grams) cinnamon

¼ C. (30.5 grams) cornstarch

For the topping

1 T. (8.3 grams) cinnamon

2 C. (400 grams) brown sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cream butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs, extract and, if using, bourbon. Mix until well incorporated. Blend dry ingredients in a separate bowl then add 1 C. at a time, mixing between each cup. Dough should cleanly pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. If not, add ¼ C. of flour. Take a generous portion of dough out of mixing bowl to roll out between parchment paper. Fluff the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture with a fork to evenly incorporate. With the dough rolled out, generously sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture over it by hand. Roll dough upon itself like a cinnamon roll. Then re-roll the dough, sprinkle again and cut out your preferred shapes. Repeat this process until all dough is used. Bake cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 9 to 12 minutes as ovens may vary. Baking time is based upon dough flattened to a 3/8-inch thickness. If rolled thinner, reduce baking time.

Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies

 

1 small (about 1½ pounds) pie pumpkin

7 T. unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

⅔ C. (packed) brown sugar

1 large egg, separated

½ tsp. cinnamon

Grated zest of 1⁄2 lemon

¼ tsp. salt

2½ C. all-purpose flour

Coarse turbinado or sanding sugar, for finishing

 

Remove the pumpkin stem and cut in half; remove seeds. Cut each half into 3 pieces. Place in a steamer basket set over simmering water; cover and steam for about 15 minutes or until very tender. Cool, then scoop out flesh and mash; measure ½ C. of pumpkin. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together. Add egg yolk and mix well, then mix in pumpkin. Add cinnamon, lemon zest and salt; blend well. Add flour and mix well. Transfer dough to a work surface. Divide in half and roll each half into a log about 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F; line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white to blend. Brush dough with egg white, then roll in sugar to coat. Slice into rounds about ½ inch thick. Transfer cookies to baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Cider Spice Muffins

Cider Spice Muffins

Cider Spice Muffins

 

1 1⁄2 C. apple cider

Cooking spray

1 3⁄4 C. all-purpose flour

1 1⁄4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. fine sea salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cardamom

1⁄2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Zest of 1 orange

10 T. butter (11⁄4 sticks) at room temperature

3⁄4 C. light brown sugar, lightly packed 1⁄4 C. granulated sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

To finish:

6 T. butter (3⁄4 of a stick), melted

1⁄2 C. granulated sugar Zest of 1 orange

 

Place 1 1⁄2 C. apple cider in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil and reduce until it is 1⁄2 cup. Let cool while assembling other ingredients. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease your 12-C. muf- fin pan generously with the cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients from the flour through the orange zest. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the 10 T. of butter, add the sugars and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping the bowl as necessary until well mixed. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and mix just until well combined. With the mixer running low, add the reduced apple cider until well combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin C. and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the center bounces when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Melt the 6 T. butter, put aside, and mix together the sugar and orange zest in a small bowl. Brush each hot muffin generously with butter and divide the sugar evenly on the top of muffins. Drizzle with any remaining butter and allow to cool somewhat before removing from the pan. These are great served warm, and they also keep for several days in a tightly lidded container.

Zucchini Ricotta Pound Cake

Zucchini Ricotta Pound Cake

Zucchini Ricotta Pound Cake

Cooking spray

1 ½ C. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 ¾ C. whole-milk ricotta cheese at room temperature

1 C. sugar

¾ C. butter at room temperature

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. almond extract

1 C. shredded zucchini about 1 medium zucchini

 

Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray or grease an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2­ inch loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Use an electric mixer to cream together the ricotta, sugar, and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, 6–7 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until smooth, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. With a silicone spatula, fold half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any hidden flour. Fold in the zucchini. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Move the pan to a baking sheet and bake for 70–75 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out nearly clean, with just a couple of crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan for about 30 minutes, loosen from the pan by running a knife around the edges, and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Strawberry Oat Squares

Strawberry Oat Squares

Strawberry Oat Squares

1 C. cooked steel-cut oats

3/4 stick of softened butter

1 egg

1/2 C. sugar

1 C. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 C. strawberry or other fruit jam

2 T. brown sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Combine butter, sugar and egg and mix until combined. I use an electric mixer, but you can do this by hand. Add in the cooked oats, being sure to fully incorporate it into the mix. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and then add to the oat and butter mixture. Spread half the batter into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Top with the jam, spreading it evenly over the batter. Spread the remaining batter over the jam. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool and serve.

Slowcooker Bread with Basil Pesto

Slowcooker Bread with Basil Pesto

Slowcooker Bread with Basil Pesto

 

2¼ tsp. (or 1 envelope) active dry yeast

1 T. sugar

1½ C. lukewarm water (about 105 degrees Fahrenheit)

3¾ C. all-purpose flour

1 T. olive oil

¼ C. basil pesto

1 tsp. salt

dried parsley, for topping

kosher salt, for topping

 

Line a 6-quart slow cooker with parchment paper and set aside. Place yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add water and continue to stir until combined. Add in the flour, olive oil, basil pesto, and salt; stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated and a shaggy dough begins to form. Turn out the dough onto a floured working surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. IF the dough is sticky, add a little more flour, about one T. at a time.  Place the ball of dough in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the top with dried parsley and salt. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or until golden on the bottom. The internal temperature of the baked bread should register at 200˚F. Remove the bread from the slow cooker together with parchment paper and place on a baking sheet. Place the bread under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove the bread from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Let rest until completely cooled before cutting and serving.

Strawberry Pie With Strawberry Crust

Strawberry Pie With Strawberry Crust

Strawberry Pie With Strawberry Crust

 

½ C. freeze-dried strawberries

1 T. granulated sugar

2½ C. all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for dusting

½ tsp. fine sea salt

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch-cubes

¼ C. ice water, plus more as needed

 

5 C. fresh strawberries, halved

1 T. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Pinch of fine sea salt

½ C. plus 2 T. granulated sugar

⅓ C. cornstarch

1 large egg white

Sanding sugar, for finishing

 

In a food processor, pulse the strawberries and granulated sugar to a fine powder. Add the flour and salt, and continue to process until well combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Transfer to a medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the ice water (leave the ice cubes behind). Mix by hand until the mixture uniformly comes together but isn’t sticky or tacky. If necessary, add more water 1 T. at a time. Divide the pie dough in half and form each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.  In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. In another small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Add the mixture to the strawberries and toss well to combine. In another small bowl, make an egg wash by whisking together the egg white and 1 T. water. Reserve. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of the dough to ¼ inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and trim the excess crust around the edge with scissors so that only ½ inch hangs over the edge of the plate. Pour the filling into the pie crust, then transfer to the refrigerator while you work on the lattice. Roll out the second disk of dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut 1½-inch-wide strips from the dough. To make the lattice crust, lay 5 strips vertically and evenly spaced on top of the pie (use the longer strips in the center and the shorter strips toward the edges.) Fold every other strip back so the pie filling is exposed, then lay one of the remaining strips horizontally over the pie. Fold the vertical strips back over the pie, then fold the opposite vertical strips back so they lay over the horizontal strip. Put down another horizontal strip, then fold the vertical strips over the new horizontal strip once more. Repeat with the remaining strips, weaving over and under until you have a lattice. Roll up the bottom crust overhang and crimp the edge of the pie crust as desire. Chill the pie for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 425°F. When the oven is preheated, brush the surface of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Bake until the crust begins to brown slightly and the filling is bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

Rhubarb Cardamom Rose Upside-Down Cake

Rhubarb Cardamom Rose Upside-Down Cake

Rhubarb Cardamom Rose Upside-Down Cake

 

For the bottom:

4 T. butter, melted

Around 1 1/2 pound of fresh rhubarb stalks (preferably bright red)

1/2 C. cane sugar

For the batter:

2 C. whole wheat flour (or 1 C. all-purpose + 1 C. whole wheat for a lighter cake)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 C. cane sugar

1 C. extra-virgin olive oil

1 C. milk (can be plant-based)

3 large beaten eggs

2 tsp. ground cardamom

1/4 C. orange juice

2 T. rose water

 

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line bottom of a round 8 inch baking pan (3 inches deep) with parchment paper. Cut your rhubarb stalks to fit snugly at the bottom of the pan in an attractive arrangement, flat side down. (If you wish to make the geometric pattern I show in the video, you’ll need to cut the stalks on an angle with the cut side as close to the same length as the uncut side as possible. (Using rhubarb stalks that are uniform in width will make this easier). Once your rhubarb pieces are all snuggly packed like sardines at the bottom of the pan, sprinkle 1/2 C. of sugar on top of the rhubarb, aiming for even distribution. Pour 4 T. melted butter all over, as evenly spread out as you can. With a spatula, gently nudge the sugar and butter around to try to ensure coverage of all the rhubarb, but don’t worry, it doesn’t need to be perfect since it will all melt into a caramel in the oven. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cardamom, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In another bowl or stand mixer, beat together the olive oil, sugar, beaten eggs, milk, orange juice and rose water. Once the liquid mixture is silky and uniform, add the dry ingredients and mix everything together until just combined (small lumps are ok but try to avoid large lumps). As with any cake batter, don’t overmix it. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, to cover the rhubarb. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack, carefully peel away the parchment paper, and let the cake cool, about 2 hours. (If the cake has risen and domed out a lot while baking, you may want to slice off the top rounded part before inverting it, so the cake sits on a flat base – it’s also a great way to get a sneak taste of the cake and no one will ever know! 😉

Zucchini Cherry Muffins

Zucchini Cherry Muffins

Zucchini Cherry Muffins

 

¾ C. whole wheat flour

1 C. unbleached flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 C. sugar

½ C. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C. grated zucchini, grated

1 C. fresh, frozen or dried sour cherries, pitted and chopped

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  In separate bowl, add eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in zucchini. Gently fold in cherries. Grease a standard size muffin tin or use muffin cups. (This recipe only makes 11 muffins. If that bugs you, fill them a little less full and stretch it for a full dozen.) Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick stuck into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Strawberry-Thyme Croustades

Strawberry-Thyme Croustades

Strawberry-Thyme Croustades

¾ C. all-purpose flour
½ C. almond flour
1/3 C. oatmeal
¼ C. brown sugar
¼ tsp. of salt
A few grinds of fresh black pepper
½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves (divided use) plus extra for sprinkling
1/3 C. butter, at room temperature
½ pound strawberries, sliced
2 T. local honey
¼ C. salted and roasted pistachios, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place flour, almond flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, salt, pepper and ¼ tsp. of thyme leaves into mixer bowl. Add butter and mix until large lumps form. Divide dough into 6 portions and roll out each (or press each down with your palm) to form discs. Put discs on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together remaining ¼ tsp. of thyme leaves, strawberries and honey. After the little crusts have cooled, top with strawberry mixture, then sprinkle with extra thyme leaves and chopped pistachios. Serve warm or later at room temperature.

Patriotic Pie Bites

Patriotic Pie Bites

Patriotic Pie Bites

 

Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing

1 box (14.1 ounces, or 399 g) refrigerated piecrusts (2 piecrusts), thawed

Flour, for dusting

½ C. (130 g) prepared blueberry pie filling

¾ C. (195 g) prepared cherry pie filling

¾ C. (195 g) prepared apple pie filling (if the apple pieces are large, chop up the filling)

Whipped cream, for topping (

 

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C; gas mark 5). Spray a 24-C. mini muffin pan with cooking spray.  Unfold one thawed piecrust at a time on a lightly floured surface. With a 2½-inch (6 cm) round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut 24 rounds from the piecrusts. Using the cookie cutter, cut 6 mini star shapes from the extra dough for garnishing the blueberry pies. Press a round of piecrust into the bottom and up the sides of each prepared muffin cup. Lay the prepared muffin pan horizontally in front of you and fill the crusts to look like an American flag as follows: top row, 3 blueberry and 3 cherry; second row, 3 blueberry and 3 apple; third row, all cherry; and bottom row, all apple. Top each blueberry pie with a mini star-shaped piece of dough. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling begins to bubble and set in the center and the crusts turn golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool for 10 minutes or so before removing from the pan and recreating the flag shape on a platter. Top the apple pie bites with a dollop of whipped cream (if using).

Cherry Sorrel Cakes

Cherry Sorrel Cakes

Cherry Sorrel Cakes

 

1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries

1 medium lemon

2 T. granulated sugar

1 1/2 ounces fresh sorrel

 

1 medium lemon

2 egg whites

1/2 C. granulated sugar

6 T. vegetable oil

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 C. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Crème fraîche, sour cream or unsweetened whipped cream, for serving

 

To prepare the topping: Rinse and dry the cherries. Remove and discard pits, then slice cherries in half, placing cut cherries in a large bowl. Juice the lemon and discard seeds. Pour 2 T. lemon juice over the cherries. (Set aside remaining lemon juice for cake recipe.) Add 2 T. sugar to the cherries. Stir gently until sugar no longer feels noticeably grainy. Rinse and dry sorrel; remove and discard stems. Mince the leaves until you have 1/2 cup, well packed. Add 1/4 C. minced sorrel to the cherries; stir until evenly distributed. (Set aside remaining 1/4 C. minced sorrel for cake recipe.) Tightly cover and refrigerate. To make the cakes: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Generously grease and flour 12 C. of a muffin pan. Rotate pan to disperse flour, then invert and tap pan to shake off excess. Finely zest the peel of the lemon. Juice the lemon and strain to make 1/4 C. juice, using any leftover juice from topping recipe if needed. Set zest and juice aside. Using a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Slowly and gradually, add 1/4 C. of the sugar while continuing to beat. Keep beating on high until whites are opaque, firm and voluminous; set aside. In a separate large bowl, use a whisk to beat the oil with the remaining 1/4 C. sugar. Add the vanilla and mix well. Sift 3/4 C. flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt over the oil mixture. With a spatula, begin to stir while gradually adding the 1/4 C. lemon juice. Mix until smooth, scraping bowl often. Fold in the lemon zest and the 1/4 C. minced sorrel until evenly dispersed. Add about a third of the egg whites to the batter. Delicately fold in the whites, being careful not to deflate them. Repeat with remaining egg whites, slowly folding just until batter is even in consistency. Immediately scoop batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each C. about halfway. You should have 10 to 12 filled cups. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges of cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake tests clean. Let cakes cool for a few minutes in pan. Just when pan is cool enough to handle, transfer cakes to a cooling rack or counter top. Let cakes cool completely. If not serving right away, cover and store at room temperature (not refrigerated). When ready to serve, place cakes on plates or in shallow bowls. Give the chilled cherry-sorrel mixture a good stir, then place a generous scoop of the fruit on top each cake. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche, sour cream or unsweetened whipped cream. Devour immediately.

Red Fife Honey Scones with Strawberry Butter

Red Fife Honey Scones with Strawberry Butter

Red Fife Honey Scones with Strawberry Butter

 

3 C. Red Fife flour

2 heaping tsp. baking powder

1/4 C. granulated sugar

1/2 C. unsalted butter, chilled but not hard

1 1/4 C. buttermilk

1 egg, whisked

Strawberry butter

1 C. unsalted butter, room temperature % C. pure maple syrup

1 tsp pink peppercorns

4-5 strawberries, washed, dried, and diced

 

Red Fife wheat is the key to the earthy robust and nutty flavor of these scones. They are less “biscuit” and more “soda bread” in texture (although still flaky), and the nuttiness of the scone offsets the naturally sweet strawberry butter. The perfect addition to a summer afternoon tea after picking up a pint of local strawberries from the market.  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make the scones, in a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk and egg. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix together until fully combined, scraping up any dry bits from the bottom of the bowl. You will have a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and roll into a large disc about 1 inch thick. Using a large glass or cookie cutter, cut 3-inch diameter circles in the dough. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. While the scones are baking, prepare the butter. Place the butter in a bowl and, using hand-held beaters, beat it until it’s very soft and fluffy and almost doubled in volume, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, pour in the maple syrup, and beat until combined. Gently crush the pink peppercorns, add them to the butter, and beat well. You’ll see specks of peppercorns evenly distributed throughout. Ensure the strawberries are very dry and then add them to the mixture. Beat on low speed until fully and evenly incorporated. The butter will be soft, fluffy, and beautifully pink, with some pieces of strawberries showing through. Remove the scones from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 3-5 minutes, just until cool enough to handle but still warm. Place on a serving platter and serve with strawberry butter on the side. The scones will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The butter will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Chocolate Ganache Tart

Chocolate Ganache Tart

Chocolate Ganache Tart

 

3 T. slivered blanched almonds

6 T. sugar

1 1/4 C. (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

6 T. unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/4 C. heavy cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make dough: In a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground. Add sugar, flour, and salt; pulse until combined. Add butter, pulsing until coarse crumbs form with no large butter lumps (dough should clump together when pinched with fingers). Immediately transfer dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup, evenly press dough into the bottom and up the sides of pan. Bake in center of oven until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Make ganache: Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour hot cream, through a sieve, over chocolate. Stir until smooth and creamy in texture. Mix in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture into center of cooled tart shell (if chocolate is lumpy, pass through a sieve). Let stand until set, about 2 hours, or refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Raspberry Cookies

Raspberry Cookies

Raspberry Cookies

 

2 C. all-purpose flour

½ C. granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

½ C. salted butter , cubed

⅔ C. heavy whipping cream , plus more as needed

½ lemon , zested and juiced

1 C. roughly chopped frozen raspberries

 

1 C. powdered sugar

2 T. lemon juice

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Mix butter in with a pastry cutter, whisk, or your hands until crumbly and combined.  Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice just until combined and a thick dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add 1 more T. cream. Gently fold or press in raspberries. Using a large cookie scoop, spoon dough 2 inches apart onto the baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  In a medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Enjoy!

Baklava Rolls

Baklava Rolls

Baklava Rolls

 

1 C. roasted unsalted pistachios meat.

1 -2 teaspoons orange blossom water

3 Tablespoons simple syrup

½ 1lb package of phyllo dough, about 18 sheets.

½ C. unsalted butter melted

For the Syrup Ingredients:

1 C. sugar.

½ C. water.

½ teaspoon lime juice.

¼ C. honey.

½ teaspoon vanilla extract.

 

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine syrup ingredients until it boils, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.  In your food processor, pulse the pistachios until finely ground. Add simple syrup and the orange blossom water to the pistachios and mix well until you get a sticky coarse paste. Preheat oven to 320F. On a clean working surface, take two sheets of phyllo dough out, brush lightly with melted butter using pastry brush. Spoon about 1 ½ Tablespoons of the filling and form a log on the short side of the sheet and roll all the way through. Brush the finished roll with more butter and place in a baking sheet. Bake in oven until top is golden brown, about 40 minutes depending on your oven. Pour ½ to 1 C. of simple syrup over and let it cool completely, preferable overnight if you can. Take phyllo cigars out, cut into 2 or 4 equal parts. Serve and enjoy!.

Pistachio Lemon Cake with Strawberry + Basil Salsa

Pistachio Lemon Cake with Strawberry + Basil Salsa

Pistachio Lemon Cake with Strawberry + Basil Salsa

 

Makes 1 (9½-inch round) cake

 

2 sticks/8 ounces butter, room temperature plus more for greasing the pan

Zest of 1 lemon

1 C. sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ C. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. sea salt

1 C. ground pistachios (see note)

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Strawberry + Basil Salsa (recipe follows)

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the bottom of a 9½-inch round pan with parchment paper. Grease the bottom and sides with butter. Cream the butter in a mixer until it’s light in color and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release its oils. Add this to the butter and mix another minute. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, beating for 2 minutes each. Mix in the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and add this to the bowl all at once. Mix gently, being careful to not overmix. Add the ground pistachios. Pour the batter into your pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack, then turn it out to serve. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if you’d like—the cake doesn’t really need it because it’s sweet enough, but the powdered sugar makes it extra pretty. Serve with Strawberry + Basil Salsa on the side. Note: To make ground pistachios, simply put shelled, unsalted pistachios in your blender or food processor and pulse until finely ground.

 

Strawberry + Basil Salsa

 

1 pound strawberries, hulled (see note)

⅓ C. sugar (or more, depending on sweetness of your berries)

4 large basil leaves

1 T. fresh lemon juice

 

Slice and chop the strawberries into a ¼-inch dice and toss into a medium bowl with the sugar. Finely chop the basil and add this to the bowl along with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust as needed. Let rest for a half-hour before serving. Note: Don’t throw those strawberry tops in the trash! Put them in a pitcher of water and store in the fridge—and you’ve got strawberry water.