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Category: Baked Goods

Root Beer Cookies II

Root Beer Cookies II

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon root beer extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons root beer extract
2 tablespoons hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees).  Mix together brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, egg, buttermilk and 1 teaspoon of root beer extract.  Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix well.  Drop teaspoon sized pieces of dough 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.  To Make Root Beer Glaze: Mix together confectioner’s sugar, 1/3 cup butter or margarine, 1 1/2 teaspoons of root beer extract and hot water. Brush on top of hot cookies.  Makes 3 dozen

Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart

Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart

Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart

 

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter, ½-inch-diced

½ teaspoon white wine vinegar

5 tablespoons ice water

1½ pounds zucchini, unpeeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick

2 tablespoons good olive oil, divided

8 ounces plain creamy goat cheese, such as Montrachet, at room temperature

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest

 

Place the flour, ¾ teaspoon of salt, and the butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse 12 to 14 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the processor running, pour the vinegar and ice water through the feed tube and continue to process and pulse until the dough just comes together. Dump out on a floured board, form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place the zucchini in a colander set over a plate. Toss it with 2 teaspoons of salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Spread the zucchini out on a clean dish towel, roll it up, and squeeze gently to remove some of the liquid. Put the zucchini slices into a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. With a fork, mash together the goat cheese, thyme, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough out on a floured board to an 11-inch circle and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the dough with the goat cheese mixture, leaving a ½-inch border. Lay the zucchini slices in tightly overlapping circles, starting at the very edge of the -pastry (the zucchini will shrink when it bakes). Continue over-lapping circles of zucchini until the whole tart is covered. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Cut in wedges and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Vanilla Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Vanilla Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 C. granulated sugar

1/2 C. butter

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour, unbleached

1 3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 C. milk

8 ounces strawberry preserves, all-fruit if possible

Frosting:

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened

1/2 C. milk

1/3 C. granulated sugar

1/3 C. confectioners’ sugar

2 T. butter, softened

24 strawberries, fresh

 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Spoon batter into the prepared C.. Carefully drop 1 T. of preserves onto top of batter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch. Let cool. To make frosting; Combine milk and granulated sugar; beat until sugar dissolves. Beat butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add milk mixture and beat well. Add icing sugar and beat until fluffy. Fill a piping bag and decorate the cooled C.cakes. You can also bring a zip-closed bag filled with icing, snip the corner at the picnic and decorate there. Keep the strawberries in cooler until ready to serve. To make these patriotic, dot C.cakes with blueberries in addition to the strawberry.

Pepperoni Bites

Pepperoni Bites

1 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 C. Chopped Pepperoni

1/2 C. Pizza Sauce

2 Pkg. Refrigerator Biscuits

1 tsp. Milk

1/4 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese

Combine mozzarella, pepperoni, and pizza sauce, set aside.  Separate biscuits and flatten to 3 inch circles.  Place 1 tsp. of pepperoni mixture in center of biscuit circle. Fold and pinch together edge to seal.  Place seam side down on a cookie sheet.  Brush with milk and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Chocolate Malt Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Malt Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Malt Shortbread Cookies

 

113 g Unsalted butter ½ cup, room temperature

60 g Powdered sugar ½ cup, sifted

½ tsp Sea salt

½ tsp Vanilla

28 g Malted milk powder 4 tbsp

125 g AP Flour 1 cup

60 g Chopped milk chocolate

 

Have a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap about 12×12 laid out on your counter. In a medium bowl and hand mixer or the bowl of your stand mixer with paddle attached, beat your butter and powdered sugar together until creamy and smooth. Add in your salt, vanilla and malted milk powder and mix thoroughly. Add in your flour. If using a mixer, mix on low until flour is incorporated and crumbly. Add your chopped chocolate and mix into the dough with a rubber spatula until evenly dispersed. The dough will still look pretty crumbly but if you press it together it should stick. Using your hands, push the dough together with your hands until it becomes a a large ball or mass. Move the dough to your parchment or plastic wrap. Shape the dough into a log shape (round or square). There are no hard and fast rules on what size it needs to be but I generally end up with something about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide on both the other sides. Wrap in your plastic wrap or parchment after shaping. Place your cookie dough into the refrigerator for about 1 hour, but up to 24 hours is fine. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. After your dough has chilled at least one hour, remove it from the refrigerator and wrapping then slice into slices that are about ¼” thick. Place your slices onto your cookie sheet giving them about 2-2½ inches space and place directly into the oven. Bake your cookies for 10-12 minutes. For softer cookies right around the 10 minute mark the cookies should be set and ready to come out. If you want crisper cookies, wait a few more minutes until the edges have started to brown. After the cookies have come out of the oven, I often use my spatula to fix any uneven spreading and reshape the cookies. Let sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling tray. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!

Chocolate Root Beer Cake

Chocolate Root Beer Cake

Chocolate Root Beer Cake

2 C. quality root beer
1 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 C. unsalted butter, cut into 1-in. pieces, plus extra for the pan
1 1/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 C. all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs

Ganache

1/3 C, heavy Cream

¼ tsp. instant espresso powder

1/3 C. (3 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Mist a 12-C. nonstick fluted tube pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large saucepan, combine the root beer, cocoa, and butter. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Let cool for 15 minutes. One at a time, whisk the eggs into the root beer mixture in the saucepan, whisking well after each addition. In two or three additions, whisk the flour mixture into the saucepan, and whisk until smooth. Scrape into the prepared tube pan. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes.  Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Place another cooling rack on top and invert to unmold the cake onto the rack, then let cool completely: Bring the cream and instant espresso to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking to dissolve the coffee. Remove. from the heat. Add the chips and let stand to soften the chips, about 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. 8. Place the cake on a rack over a half-sheet pan. Drizzle the ganache on top of the cake. Refrigerate to set the ganache, about 20 minutes. Slice and serve. (The cake can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.)

Financiers en Aperitif

Financiers en Aperitif

Financiers en Aperitif

 

7 T. butter

½ C. ground almonds

¼ C. all-purpose flour

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp sugar

3 eggs, separated

½ tsp salt

5 oz cheese, ham, bacon, olives, cherry tomatoes, or leftover roasted vegetables (whatever you fancy really)

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter and flour a financier pan.* Start melting the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Carry on melting until the butter turns a dark golden brown (this is called beurre noisette), then immediately take the pan off the heat. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk the egg whites and salt to soft peaks in another bowl. Beat the egg yolks in a third bowl, and slowly incorporate the warm butter (if the butter is still very hot, it will curdle the eggs). Sift the dry ingredients into the egg and butter mix and then fold in half the egg whites followed by the cheese, ham, bacon, etc. Fold in the rest of the egg whites. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 12–15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when touched. Leave to cool in the pan. Financiers are best eaten the same day, but will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Too-Much-Butter Garlic Knots

Too-Much-Butter Garlic Knots

Too-Much-Butter Garlic Knots

 

Store Bought Pizza Dough

1 cup melted butter,

2 tablespoons chopped parsley,

2 teaspoons garlic powder

pinch kosher salt.

Parmesan

 

Before you begin, leave your dough out at room temperature for at least an hour so that it’s pliable enough to work with. Heat your oven to 400º and line two baking sheets with parchment paper so that you’re ready to go when your garlic knots are done! Then, melt the butter in a small pot and add garlic and salt. Cook over low heat until the mixture starts to froth around the edges, and then immediately remove it from the stove and set it aside for later. Make sure your work surface is lightly dusted with flour so the dough doesn’t stick, then stretch the dough into a rectangle about 12” x 10”. Don’t worry if it’s not exactly perfect! Use a pizza wheel or a knife to cut the dough into quarters. Then, cut each quarter into four vertical dough strips. Each strip will be around 6” long. To shape your knots, work with the dough strips one at a time. Roll a strip into a rope and then tie it into a knot. Either tuck the ends into the center of the knotted dough ball or leave them loose (either way is fine!) and then place it on your prepared baking sheet. Brush each knot with your prepared garlic butter—making sure not to get too many garlic pieces on the dough, or they’ll likely burn in the oven—and reserve about 2/3 of the garlic butter for later use. Bake the knots for 15-20 minutes, until they’re golden brown all over. As they bake, mix the parsley into your butter mixture.   Toss the warm knots with the garlic-parsley mixture and sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Zucchini, Dried Tomato, and Cheese Muffins

Zucchini, Dried Tomato, and Cheese Muffins

2 1/2 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 C. freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 C. finely chopped dried tomatoes
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
tsp. salt
1 C. milk
1 C. tightly packed coarsely shredded zucchini
2 large eggs
1/4 C. olive oil

Heat oven to 400ºF. Spray muffin cups (12 regular or 24 miniature) with cooking spray. Combine flour, grated cheese, dried tomatoes, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Stir until blended. In a separate bowl stir the milk, zucchini, eggs, and oil until well blended. Add to the dry ingredients all at once and fold together just until evenly moistened. Do not overmix. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin C.. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes for regular muffins, or 11 to 12 minutes for the mini muffins. Cool muffins on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Yield: 12 servings
Calories: 166
Fat: 6.3g
Fiber: 1g

Chocolate-Raspberry Buttermilk Cupcakes

Chocolate-Raspberry Buttermilk Cupcakes

1 1/4 C. flour
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 T. extra-light olive oil
1/2 C. packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. seedless raspberry jam
1 T. confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin-tin cups. with paper liners. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat butter, oil, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. On low speed, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon one-third of batter into muffin cups. Make a small well in batter. Dividing evenly, spoon raspberry jam into each well. Spoon remaining batter evenly over raspberry jam. Bake 20 minutes, or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Turn cupcakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust tops of cooled cupcakes with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Yield: 12 servings
Calories: 167
Fat: 5g
Fiber: 1g

Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

1/3 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed French bread (about 2 (1-ounce) slices)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 banana)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fat-free caramel topping
Powdered sugar (optional)

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Place 1/2 cup bread cubes into each of 2 (8-ounce) ramekins coated with cooking spray. Spoon 2 tablespoons milk mixture over each serving, and top with 1/4 cup banana. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Repeat procedure with remaining bread and milk mixture. Chill 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until done. Spoon 1 tablespoon caramel sauce over each serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Yield: 2 servings
Calories: 297
Fat: 4.5g
Fiber: 2.3g

Olive Swirl Rolls

Olive Swirl Rolls

3 tsp. olive oil, divided
1/4 C. chopped shallot or red onion
11/2 T. chopped fresh or 11/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 (4.25-ounce) can black olives, drained and finely chopped (about 3/4 C.)
3/4 C. bottled roasted red and yellow peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
Coarse salt to taste
1 loaf frozen wheat bread dough (such as Rhodes), thawed per package directions
1/4 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Vegetable cooking spray or canola oil

Preheat the oven to 325F. Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 2 tsp. oil and the shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shallots begin to soften. Stir in the next three ingredients; cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the olives, peppers, and vinegar. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12- 3 9-inch rectangle. Spread the olive mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle 2 T. of the cheese over the olive mixture. Roll the dough up lengthwise (like a carpet) and pinch the ends closed. Slice gently with a serrated knife into 1-inch-width rolls; place the rolls on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray or oil. Brush the rolls with the remaining tsp. of oil and cover with plastic wrap; let rise, away from drafts, for 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Uncover the rolls and sprinkle with the remaining 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Note: These rolls freeze well.

Yield: 12 servings
Calories: 144
Fat: 4.8g
Fiber: 1.8g

Cranberry Muffins

Cranberry Muffins

1 1/2 C. unbleached white flour
1 C. whole-wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce
2 T. canola oil
1/4 C. orange juice
1 tsp. orange extract
1 C. fresh cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flours, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the large bowl and mix until blended. Do not over beat. Pour the batter into 12 nonstick muffin C. and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove muffins from oven and let cool slightly. Remove muffins from pan and let cool completely. To lower the calories even more you can substitute Splenda for the sugar.

Yield: 12 servings
Calories: 152
Fat: 4g
Fiber: 2g

Jamaican Banana Bread

Jamaican Banana Bread

Cooking spray
2 tablespoons stick margarine, softened
2 tablespoons tub light cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons dark rum or 1/4 teaspoon imitation rum extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons margarine
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons dark rum or 1/8 teaspoon imitation rum extract
2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted
2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 375°. Coat an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside. Beat 2 tablespoons margarine and cheese at medium speed of a mixer; add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg; beat well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Combine banana and next 5 ingredients (banana through vanilla); stir well. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in 1/4 cup pecans and 1/4 cup coconut. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375° for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Let cool slightly on a wire rack. Combine brown sugar and 2 teaspoons each margarine, lime juice, and rum in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 minute; stir constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons each pecans and coconut; spoon over loaf.

Yield: 16 servings
Calories: 187
Fat: 5.4g
Fiber: 1.1g

Cardamom Banana Bread with Pistachios

Cardamom Banana Bread with Pistachios

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, sour cream, and cardamom; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in pistachios. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool bread completely on wire rack.

Yield: 1 loaf, 16 servings
Calories: 185
Fat: 5.5g
Fiber: 1.3g

Baked Sugar ‘n’ Spice Doughnuts

Baked Sugar ‘n’ Spice Doughnuts

Cooking spray
2 C. reduced-fat packaged biscuit mix
1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. egg substitute
Red-fat biscuit mix or all-purpose flour
1 T. margarine or butter, melted
2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick coating; set aside. Combine the 2 C. biscuit mix, 1 T. sugar, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Combine the buttermilk and egg substitute in another bowl. Add all at once to dry ingredients; stir just till moistened. Knead dough on a board sprinkled with additional biscuit mix or all-purpose flour for 10 to 20 strokes. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter. Remove the centers and reroll. Place doughnuts on prepared baking sheet. Bake in a 400º oven for 10-12 minutes. Combine the 2 T. sugar and the cinnamon. Brush tops of doughnuts very lightly with melted margarine or butter and dip tops in cinnamon mixture. Serve warm.

Yield: 9 doughnuts
Calories: 140
Fat: 3g
Fiber: 0g

Apple-Brie Braid with Almonds

Apple-Brie Braid with Almonds

1 (1-lb.) loaf frozen white bread dough
2 T. butter or stick margarine, divided
4 C. finely chopped peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 1/4 lb.)
1/2 C. packed brown sugar, divided
3 T. chopped slivered almonds
Cooking spray
4 oz. Brie cheese
1 tsp. all-purpose flour

Thaw dough in refrigerator 12 hours. Melt 1 T. butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples; sauté 10 minutes. Add 1/4 C. brown sugar; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in almonds. Roll dough into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spread apple mixture lengthwise down center of dough. Remove rind from cheese; cube. Arrange cheese on top of apple mixture. Make diagonal cuts, 1 1/2 inches apart, on opposite sides of filling to within 1/2 inch of filling. Fold strips alternately over filling from each side, overlapping at an angle. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine 1/4 C. brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl; cut in 1 T. butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until combined. Sprinkle over top of loaf. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden.

Yield: 16 servings
Serving size: 1 slice

Calories: 162
Fat: 4.7g
Fiber: 1.3g

Chive Popovers

Chive Popovers

Chive Popovers

refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray
2 large eggs
1 C. unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. 1% lowfat milk
1/4 C. minced fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400°F (200 C°), Gas Mark 6. Lightly coat 8 popover cups, muffin cups, or custard cups with cooking spray. In a food processor or blender, combine eggs, flour, and salt. Process until well blended, 10 seconds. With the machine running, pour in milk through the feed tube. Process until smooth. Stir in chives. Fill prepared C. with batter, filling to 1/4-inch below the rim. If using individual cups, set them well apart on a baking sheet. Bake 35 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. (Don’t open oven door while popovers are baking or they will fall.) Remove from oven and run a sharp thin-bladed knife around the edge of each popover to loosen. Invert into a basket and serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings
Calories: 83
Fat: 2g
Fiber: 0g

The Best Perfectly Buttery Shortbread

The Best Perfectly Buttery Shortbread

The Best Perfectly Buttery Shortbread

 

1 C. (2 sticks/225 g) salted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature

¾ C. (150 g) granulated sugar (reserve a spoonful for sprinkling)

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt

1¾ C. (255 g) all-purpose flour (if you aren’t using a scale, sift the flour, then scoop it into the measuring cups; go for 2 scant cups)

 

Optional 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or bars, roughly chopped

2 T. unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes

Flaky salt

 

1. Line an 8 × 8-inch pan with two wide strips of parchment paper, crossing over one another, for easy lift-out later. (You can use a 9 × 9-inch pan, or a 9-inch cake pan, and so on; just start checking the cookies earlier for doneness using the visual cues in step 4.) 2. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the butter, sugar, and salt until mostly uniform but still dense; it will look like the store-bought almond paste you’d use to make rainbow cookies. Add the flour. Integrate into the butter mixture with the wooden spoon, or your hands, or a fork, or some combination—the resulting mixture will look like crumbles of streusel, and if you pinch one, the insides should be uniform (not just a clump of butter coated in flour). Press the crumbles evenly into the pan. 3. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or up to 24 hours. 4. Heat the oven to 300°F. Sprinkle the reserved sugar evenly over the dough. Use a fork to “dock” the surface, i.e. make holes all over that go about halfway down. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until barely golden around the edges and just set and dry to the touch in the center. 5. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then lift out of the pan using the parchment overhangs. Carefully cut into 8 square bars, or 16 long rectangular bars. 6. If topping with chocolate, melt two-thirds (about 4 ounces) of the chocolate in 10-second bursts in the micro wave, stirring between each one. When melted, add the rest of the chocolate and the butter and stir until melted. Return to the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir. (Repeat if not silky smooth. Chocolate is fickle.) 7. Dip each shortbread cookie into the chocolate to cover it partially. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Set on a rimmed rack in the fridge to let the choco­late harden. Store loosely covered at room temperature or tightly covered in the refrigerator. These also freeze very well, tightly covered, for weeks.

 

Milk Powder Shortbread

Swap in  1/3 C. (48 g) whole milk powder for 48 g (roughly a heaping 1/3 cup) of the all-purpose flour; the best way to do this is to measure out the 48 g whole milk powder in a bowl on the scale, and then add all-purpose flour until you reach the full 255 g. These will finish baking about 5 minutes earlier than the standard recipe; start checking at 3 5 minutes.

 

Vanilla Bean-Citrus Sugar Shortbread

Just before you make the shortbread, rub 2 T. citrus zest into the sugar. Scrape the insides of 2 vanilla beans or add 1 T. vanilla bean paste into the butter mixture before you mix in the flour.

 

Salty Chocolate Buckwheat Shortbread

Swap in 40 g (scant 1/3 cup) buckwheat flour for 40 g (heaping 1/4 cup) of the all-purpose flour. Add 40 g (scant 1/2 cup) cocoa powder. Before making the dough, toast both flours and cocoa powder on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 300°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool, get rid of any lumps with a whisk or fork, and add to the recipe in place of the plain flour.

 

Tahini Date Shortbread

Swap in 3 T. tahini for 3 T. of the butter. Before baking, drizzle the shortbread with tahini, pinches of the re­served sugar, and several pitted, finely diced dates.

 

Toasted Rice Flour and Jam Shortbread

Swap in 70 g (scant 1/2 cup) rice flour for 70 g (scant ¥2 cup) of the total flour. Toast both flours on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 3 00°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool, then use in the recipe in place of the all-purpose flour. Before baking the dough, dollop a few tsp. of raspberry jam on the surface and use a martini pick, toothpick, or knife to swirl it, without integrating it too much (leave the swirls distinct). You could also swirl some peanut butter into the surface. Bake as directed.

 

Browned Butter Shortbread

Brown half of the butter in a small saucepan; when it foams, add 2 T. milk powder and whisk. Let the mixture come back to a soft room temperature, then add the rest of the room-temperature butter and proceed with the recipe.

 

Grape-Nuts Shortbread

Sprinkle 1/4 C. Grape-Nuts plus 1 T. additional sugar evenly over the parchment in the pan. Press the dough into it as if the sugary Grape-Nuts are a roughly hewn bottom crust. Before chilling the dough, sprinkle an additional  ¼ C. Grape-Nuts and 1 more T. sugar over the dough. Press hard so some of the cereal wedges into the top of the dough. Bake as directed.

Rum-Soaked Sponge Cake with Tropical Fruit

Rum-Soaked Sponge Cake with Tropical Fruit

from Cooking Light, September 2003

Cake:

Cooking Spray
1 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Vanilla
Dash Salt
4 lg. Eggs
1/2 C. Sugar
1/4 C. dark Rum
1 14oz. can fat-free Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 5oz. can Evaporated fat-free Milk

Fruit:

1 C. cubed Pineapple
1 C. cubed peeled Kiwifruit
1 C. cuped peeled Mango
1 T. sugar

Custard:

1/4 C. Egg Substitute
2 T. Sugar
1 T. Cornstarch
1/2 C. skim Milk
1/4 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To prepare cake, coat a 9″ round cake pan with wax paper; coat wax paper with cooking spray and set pan aside. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Place 1/4 tsp. Vanilla, salt and eggs in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at high speed 2 minutes. Gradually add 1/2 C. sugar, beating until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Sift flour over egg mixture, 1/4 C. at a time; fold in. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake at 375 for 20 minutse or until the cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Combine the rum, condensed and evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pierce top of cake in several places with a skewer. Pour rum mixture evenly over top of the cake in two batches, beginning at outer edge and working inwards. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Run a knife around outside edge of cake. Place a serving plate upside down on top of cake; invert onto plate. To prepare fruit, combine all fruit with 1 T. of sugar and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate overnight. To prepare custard, place egg beaters in a bowl and set aside. Combine 2 T. sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Gradually add 1/2 skim milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat’ cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Slowly stir in one-fourth hot milk mixture into egg beaters. Once that is mixed in, add the egg mixture into the hot milk, stirring constantly, to prevent curdling. Cook over medium heat one minute or until thick. Remove from heat and spoon into a bowl and place into a large ice filled bowl for 10 minutes or until custard comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 tsp. vanilla; spread custard over cake. Serve with fruit mixture.

Yield: 12 servings
Serving Size: 1 cake slice and 1/4 C. fruit

Calories: 255
Fat: 2.2g
Fiber: 1.2g

Ginger Oatmeal Crisps

Ginger Oatmeal Crisps

2 eggs
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. butter, melted
2 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 C quick cooking oats

Heat oven to 350. In large bowl beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar, ginger, vanilla and salt; mix until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes longer. Blend in butter and baking powder, then fold in the oats. Cover a large cookie sheet with ungreased foil. Drop the batter onto sheet in rounded tsp.fuls spaced 2″ apart. Bake in center of oven until the edges are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from pan while hot and cool on a rack. Repeat with remaining batter.

Banana Snacking Cake

Banana Snacking Cake

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 C. Fleischmann’s margarine, softened
1 1/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. Egg Beaters 99% Real Egg Product (3 eggs)
1 1/4 C. bananas, mashed
2/3 C. plain nonfat yogurt

In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat margarine and sugar until well combined. At low speed, blend in egg beaters and bananas. Add flour mixture alternately with yogurt, mixing until smooth. Stir in walnuts if desired. Spoon batter into greased and floured 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired before serving.

Blueberry Turnovers

Blueberry Turnovers

Crust:
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2 T. sugar
2 T. (1 oz.) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 T. butter
Dash of salt
1 T. ice water

Filling:
2/3 C. blueberries
1 1/2 T. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tsp. sugar, divided

To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring C.; level with a knife. Place flour, 2 T. sugar, cream cheese, butter, and salt in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, add ice water through food chute, processing just until combined (do not form a ball). Press the mixture gently into a 3-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap; cover with additional plastic wrap. Chill for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°. Divide dough into 4 equal portions; place each portion between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Roll each portion into a 5-inch circle. Place dough in freezer for 5 minutes or until the plastic wrap can be easily removed. To prepare filling, combine blueberries and next 4 ingredients (blueberries through juice) in a bowl. Working with 1 dough portion at a time, remove plastic wrap from dough. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, and brush with egg white. Spoon about 2 T. blueberry filling onto half of circle. Fold dough over filling, and press the edges together with a fork to seal. Place the turnover on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat turnover with cooking spray, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. sugar. Pierce the turnover with a fork. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, egg white, filling, and sugar. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack. Note: Expect the blueberries to ooze out of the crust a little during baking.

Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 turnover

Calories: 177
Fat: 5.8g
Fiber: 1.1g

Lemon Pistachio Biscotti

Lemon Pistachio Biscotti

2 1/2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch salt
3 fresh lemons
3 large eggs
1 C. crushed pistachio nuts
powdered sugar, for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt. Finely grate 1 T. of zest from the lemons and set aside. Squeeze 4 T. of juice through a strainer and reserve. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, lemon zest and juice together. Add this to the flour mixture along with the pistachios and stir until a stiff dough forms. Scrape the dough onto a lightly sugared work surface and divide it into 4 pieces. Roll each piece with the palms of your hands into a log slightly shorter than the length of your cookie sheet. Place two logs on each cookie sheet, several inches apart (the logs will double in width). Bake for 15 minutes, until the logs feel set or firm to the touch. Set the cookie sheets on racks and let cool. Reset the oven to 300°F. When cool to the touch, place the logs on a cutting board. With a serrated knife, slice them into 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Lay the biscotti out on the prepared cookie sheets in a single layer and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until they are dry and lightly toasted. Cool completely. Store in an airtight tin or plastic container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 72 Biscotti
Serving Size: 3 biscotti

Calories: 120
Fat: 3g
Fiber: 0g

Lemon Verbena and Toasted Rice Shortbread

Lemon Verbena and Toasted Rice Shortbread

Lemon Verbena and Toasted Rice Shortbread

 

3/4 C. jasmine rice (see note)

2 sticks (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 C. (85g) confectioners’ sugar

1 T. ground lemon verbena or chamomile

1 1/2 C. (188g) all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

 

Add the rice to a frying pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all of the rice is an even, deep golden brown color (about 7 minutes). Remove from the pan and let cool to room temperature. Grind the rice to a fine powder using a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or high-powdered food processor. Measure out 1/2 C. of rice flour to use in the recipe. Make the shortbread. Preheat the oven to 300F. Before proceeding, make sure that your butter is at room temperature. The butter should have some give to it when pressed with your index finger but should not feel very soft and greasy. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and confectioners’ sugar just until creamy and smooth. In a coffee/spice grinder or small food processor, chop the dried lemon verbena leaves into small pieces. Alternatively, you can use ground leaves from a tea bag. Measure out 1 T. of ground leaves and add to the butter mixture. Mix to combine. Stir in 1/2 C. of rice flour, salt, and half of the all-purpose flour. Once combined, mix in the remaining flour and stir just until combined. Press the dough together a few times with your hands until it comes together easily. Butter a 9″ x 13″ baking dish and line with parchment paper. Press the dough into the pan in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes, until the shortbread is a pale gold. Remove from the oven and cut into rectangles (size of your choosing). Prick cookies with a fork. Then return to the oven for about 8 minutes, until the shortbreads are golden. The shortbreads should still be light in color. Turn off the oven and leave the door cracked open for at least one hour. Then remove cookies from the oven and let cool completely. Notes:  If you don’t have a grinder, you can try buying rice flour and toasting it in a pan until deeply golden brown.

Eggnog Cupcakes with Eggnog and Orange Buttercream Frosting

Eggnog Cupcakes with Eggnog and Orange Buttercream Frosting

1 C. butter (room temperature)

2 C. sugar

4 eggs separated (room temperature)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 C. all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

pinch of cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 C. eggnog

1/2 C. butter (1 stick)

1/2 C. shortening

4 C. icing sugar

1 tsp. orange extract

6 T. eggnog

Orange icing colouring (just a tiny bit!)

Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line muffin tins.  In a large bowl, cream together first portion of butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 4 or 5 minutes). Add two egg yolks and mix for an additional minute. Add remaining egg yolks and mix for an additional minute. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Alternate between adding dry ingredients the eggnog to the butter mixture, a little bit at a time. In small bowl, beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula, add about 1/2 C. of the egg whites to the mixture and fold in gently, to separate and lighten the batter. Add remaining egg whites and fold in gently until no white streaks are present. Fill C.cake tins half full and bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the Cupcakes comes out clean. Allow Cupcakes to cool in the pan for ten minutes before removing to a wire wrack. Allow to cool completely before decorating. For the frosting, mix remaining butter and the shortening in a medium bowl until light and fluffy (about three minutes). Add orange extract and mix until combined. Add icing sugar a little at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Once all of the icing sugar has been mixed in, add eggnog 1 T. at a time until icing has reached desired consistency. Mix in a small amount of orange coloring to achieve a color that will contrast with the white icing sugar dust, but is not too dark. Frost Cupcakes using a 1M tip to make a swirl and dust with icing sugar by placing a few T. of icing sugar in a small strainer and gently tapping the side.

Gâteau Breton aux Pommes

Gâteau Breton aux Pommes

Salted caramel sauce
½ cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoon Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cake
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, divided, plus more, room temperature, for pan
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus more for pan
4 firm, tart apples (such as Pink Lady or Braeburn; about 2 lb.), peeled, cored, sliced ½” thick
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup plus sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 large eggs
Creme fraiche (for serving)

Bring sugar and ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until mixture turns a deep amber color, 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Return to medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in butter and salt. Pour caramel sauce into a small heatproof jar or bowl; let cool.

Place rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Butter and flour cake pan; set aside. Heat 2 Tbsp. melted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples, sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. sugar, and cook, tossing occasionally, until apples are golden brown, 10 – 12 minutes. Arrange half of the apples in the bottom of prepared cake pan so most of it is covered (a few gaps are okay). Whisk baking powder, salt, lemon zest, 1 ¼ cups flour, and remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs and remaining 10 Tbsp. melted butter until smooth. Pour half of batter over apples in cake pan, top with remaining apples, then pour remaining batter over. Bake cake until top is golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool slightly; turn out onto rack and let cool.

Serve cake with caramel sauce and crème fraiche.

Cherry, Orange & Rye Hand Pies

Cherry, Orange & Rye Hand Pies

Cherry, Orange & Rye Hand Pies

 

For the dough

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups rye flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and freezer-cold

1 large egg

1/3 cup ice water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

For the filling and to finish the pies

1 1/2 cups cherry compote or preserves

1 tablespoon Contratto or other earthy orange liqueur

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 orange, zested

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 pinch kosher salt

1 handful Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

1 large egg, beaten and mixed with 1 tablespoon water or milk for egg wash

 

In a glass measuring cup, combine water and vinegar together, and add a few ice cubes. To a large mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, rye flour, salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter, just until pea-sized bits remain. Add the egg and cut in to incorporate. Drizzle the vinegar-water mixture a little at a time, cutting the liquid into the dough, pausing to check and see if dough holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Use only as much liquid as is needed for the dough to come together without crumbling. Alternatively, pulse together dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor to combine. Add the butter and pulse at intervals, until pea-sized bits form. Add the egg and pulse. Run the processor at intervals while drizzling the vinegar-water mixture, until a cohesive dough forms. As you would in the pastry blender method, test by squeezing a clump between your fingers. Divide dough evenly onto two segments of plastic or bees wrap. Use the wrap as a barrier to limit how much you handle the dough: Hold opposite ends and press to form the dough into a mass. Flatten it into a disc, wrap securely, and repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate pastry for at least 20 minutes to allow the dough to relax. This step can be done up to 3 days in advance. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling and stir until uniform. Remove pastry from the refrigerator 15 minutes before attempting to work it. Roll pastry to 1/8-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut discs into the pastry, dipping the cutter into flour in between and tapping off any excess flour as you go. Combine scraps and re-roll until you’re left with no more dough (you should get about 40 rounds). Spoon tablespoons of the fruit mixture into the center of half the pastry discs (about 20). Working one at a time, wet the periphery of each un-filled disk with your index finger, then secure onto the preserve-topped base. Work from opposite sides to gently seal the entire edge, using the flat of your fingers. With a fork, crimp the edge of each hand pie, overlapping one tine as you work around the circumference. It helps to dip the tines into flour between each round so they don’t stick as you work. If the pastry drags at any point, chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator and then continue where you left off. Chill the filled and crimped pies for 20 minutes. With a sharp paring knife, score an “X” into the center of each pie for venting. Paint each pie with eggwash and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Freeze the pies for 4 hours and as long as overnight. When you’re ready to bake the hand pies, heat oven to 400ºF. Arrange hand pies on two parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate pans and swap racks for the last 5 to 10 minutes, or until pies are deeply golden. It is okay if preserves leak—think of it as a fruit leather cook’s treat. Once the pies are baked, cool them on wire racks for 15 to 20 minutes. They’ll be ready to eat or wrap for gifting.

Cattail Pollen Biscuits

Cattail Pollen Biscuits

Cattail Pollen Biscuits

 

The fresh-shucked corn flavor of cattail pollen is amplified by baking. The biscuits are as good with butter and maple syrup or thinly sliced ham. You will need 12-16 cattail flowers to collect ¼ cup of pollen.

 

Biscuits

 

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup cattail pollen

1 T. plus 2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 T. sugar

6 oz cold unsalted butter, coarsely grated

1 ½ cups buttermilk

 

1 egg, beaten

1 T. milk

 

Preheat the oven to 375’F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the grated butter and use your fingers to rub it into the dry ingredients. Pour in the buttermilk and give the mixture as few swipes with a wooden spoon as possible, before bringing the biscuit dough together with your hands. (The less your work it the more tender they will be.) Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Press it gently into an even shape 1 ½ inches thick. Use a biscuit cutter (or upturned glass) to press out as many biscuits as possible. Collect the dough scraps and press them together quickly, then cut out a few more biscuits. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet. Mix the egg wash and brush it gently over the tops. Slide into the oven. Bake until golden-brown, about 20 – 23 minutes. Best eaten at once, but they freeze very well, too.

Kitchen Sink Muffins (many variations)

Kitchen Sink Muffins (many variations)

Kitchen Sink Muffins (many variations)

 

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 T. ground flax meal

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 cup unsweetened applesauce or yogurt

2 T. melted butter

⅓ cup milk

 

Add-in Options

 

1 cup fresh or frozen fruit, thawed

½ cup pecans, walnuts or almonds, chopped

⅔ cup dried fruit

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place muffin liners in a 12 standard-size muffin pan. In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients; flour, ground flax, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Add in yogurt, melted butter and milk. Stir until thoroughly combined, creating a smooth, stiff batter. Gently fold in additional ingredient options, then divide batter equally spooning into the muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tops are golden. Transfer to cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, store remaining muffins in an airtight container.

“The Greatest!” Pound Cake

“The Greatest!” Pound Cake

“The Greatest!” Pound Cake

 

2 C. all-purpose flour

¾ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. baking powder

2/3 C. (13 T.) unsalted butter

1 C. granulated sugar

1 tsp. finely grated lemon or orange zest (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 325° and grease a 8½- by 4½- by 2½-inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add citrus zest and 2 unbeaten eggs, 1 at a time, and beat well. Add vanilla and nutmeg to milk. Then, slowly mix dry ingredients into batter alternately with milk. Do not over mix or the cake will become tough. When just combined, pour into loaf pan and bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 1½ hours. Cool on a rack 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb Pie

 

4 C. chopped ripe rhubarb

1 C. white sugar

1/3 C. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

6 T. flour

1 T. butter

1 recipe for a 9” double-crust pie

 

Preheat oven to 450. Combine sugars and flour. Sprinkle ¼ over the crust in the pie plate. Pile the rhubarb over the mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining mixture. Dollop small pieces of butter over the rhubarb sprinkled with sugar. Cover with the top crust and flute edges. Place in the lowest rack in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temp to 350 and continue to bake for 40-45 minutes. Serving with ice cream is a must!

Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake

Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake

Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake

 

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar

4 large bananas, just ripe, sliced lengthwise

1/4 teaspoon table salt

 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

 

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and salt and cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and decoratively press the bananas (flat side down, rounded side up) into the caramel, until all of the caramel is topped with bananas. Set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl, and set aside.  Place the oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the egg and yolk, and continue whisking until smooth. Add the buttermilk and whisk again. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold to combine. Do not over mix. Scrape the batter over the bananas and gently smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until a cake tester comes out with a moist crumb or two. Immediately run a paring knife around the edge of the pan. Let sit for 5 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter. If bits of caramel or banana stick to the bottom of the pan, scrape them off and place them back onto the cake. Let cool until the caramel sets a bit, about 20 minutes, or cool to room temperature. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. The cake will keep wrapped in plastic on the counter for up to 3 days, but it is best the day it is made.

Light, Fluffy Butter Cake

Light, Fluffy Butter Cake

Light, Fluffy Butter Cake

 

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, divided

2 sticks (16 tablespoons/8 ounces/227 grams) good-quality unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime, lemon, or orange zest (optional)

1 1/2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour (my favorite is Pillsbury bleached all-purpose flour; do not use cake flour), divided

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup (60 milliliters) whole milk, room temperature, divided

 

Heat the oven to 335°F. Spray an 8-inch metal square, preferably light-colored, pan with cooking spray.  Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup (50 grams) of the sugar and beat until stiff. Set aside (transfer to another bowl if you need the same bowl to cream the butter). In another large bowl, using the electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and the remaining ¾ cup (150 grams) of the sugar until and fluffy. Be patient; it may take 5 to 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and lime zest, if using. Add the eggs yolks one at a time, gradually beating for a few seconds to incorporate after each addition. In a small bowl, using a fork, mix ¾ cup of the flour with the baking powder, stirring for 1 minute to aerate. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just to incorporate. Do not overmix.  Add half of the milk and mix for a few seconds to combine. Add the remaining milk, mix again to combine, then mix in the remaining flour. Add half of the egg whites and mix on low speed to combine. Using a spatula, fold the remaining egg whites into the batter. Be patient—it may take quite a few turns of the bowl to fold in the egg whites. My trick is to turn the bowl as I fold. What I do is to do a “quarter turn” of the bowl (as if I’m turning the bowl from a 0-minute position to a 15-minute position) and fold; turn the bowl to a 30-minute position and fold; turn the bowl to a 45-minute position and fold; turn the bowl to a 0-minute position and fold. Repeat the turning of the bowl and folding until all egg whites are well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level with a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and continue to bake for about 9 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. You will see that the cake has risen to the very top of the pan but the surface remains flat (don’t worry if you see a few bubbles). Let cool on a wire rack for 15 to 30 minutes, then invert on a plate, then invert again onto the rack or a platter. I like to wait until the day after to eat it, but you don’t have to. Let cool for a couple of hours before serving

Fruits of the North Pie

Fruits of the North Pie

Fruits of the North Pie

 

Pastry for single-crust pie (9”)

¾ c. sugar

¼ c. cornstarch

2 c. fresh strawberries

1 ½ c. fresh raspberries

2 c. fresh cut rhubarb

1 c. fresh blueberries

1 T. lemon juice

 

On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry. Transfer to a 9” pie plate. Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond edge of the plate and flute the edges or decorate as desired. Line the pastry with double layers of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 for approximately 7 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 7 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.  While the pastry is cooking, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in fruit and lemon juice. Cook while stirring occasionally over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour over prepared crust. Cool completely. Enjoy with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

Louisa’s Cake

Louisa’s Cake

Louisa’s Cake

 

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 pinch salt

1 cup fresh ricotta

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 apple, peeled and grated (should yield about 1 cup)

Confectioners’ sugar for serving

 

Heat the oven to 400° F. Butter and flour a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer until light and fluffy. On the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time. Slowly add the flour, salt, ricotta, lemon zest, baking powder, and apple. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the sides start to pull away from the pan. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and cool completely on the rack. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top or serve with your favorite seasonal fruit.

Olive Oil Cake with Fennel Pollen

Olive Oil Cake with Fennel Pollen

Olive Oil Cake with Fennel Pollen

 

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 c. milk

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sea salt

2 T. fennel pollen (fiore di finocchio)

 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit a 12-inch cake pan (I usually make this in a 12-inch cast iron skillet); drizzle some olive oil into the pan, then place the parchment paper and slide it around so it’s well-oiled. Blend the eggs and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl, then stir in the olive oil and milk. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and fennel pollen. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and slowly add the egg mixture, stirring just until blended. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan on top of the parchment paper. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool completely, then loosen the sides with a knife, and invert onto a serving plate (hold the plate against cake pan and flip…hopefully it will come out in one piece). Remove the parchment paper, slice, and eat.

Rhubarb Scones

Rhubarb Scones

Rhubarb Scones

 

1 cup chopped rhubarb (about 2–3 medium-size stalks,

cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces)

1⁄3 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1⁄2 tsp. salt

8 T. unsalted butter, cubed and frozen

1 cup buttermilk

Raw or large-crystal sugar

Americanized Devonshire Cream (see below)

Small-Batch Strawberry-Rhubarb (see below)

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine rhubarb with 1 T. sugar in a small bowl. Place remaining sugar, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor with a metal blade; pulse twice to combine. Scatter butter over flour mixture, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly add buttermilk, and process just until a soft dough forms. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle rhubarb mixture on top. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon 16 (1⁄4-cup-size) dough rounds onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with raw or large-crystal sugar. Bake for 25 minutes. The recipe makes 16 rhubarb scones. Serve warm with Americanized Devonshire Cream and Small-Batch Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam.

 

Americanized Devonshire Cream: Combine 1 cup whipped cream cheese spread, 1 cup sour cream, and 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar in a medium-size bowl. Whisk together until creamy and thick. Makes 2 cups.

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

 

31⁄2 cups chopped rhubarb (about 8 medium-size stalks,

cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces)

3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved

1 1⁄2 cups sugar

2 T. orange juice

 

Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and orange juice in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 45–50 minutes. Fruit will cook down and thicken. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Cool; cover and refrigerate. No canning is required for this great, 4-ingredient homemade jam. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

Bien Cuit Shortbread

Bien Cuit Shortbread

Bien Cuit Shortbread

 

302 grams unsalted butter

93 grams confectioners’ sugar

3.5 grams kosher salt

302 grams all-purpose flour

1/8 cup regular or raw sugar, for sprinkling

 

Cut the cold butter and reserve at room temperature to temper slightly. Line a 13×9-inch baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Mix the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and flour in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix for a few seconds to combine the dry ingredients. Add the cubed butter and mix on low speed until a smooth dough is formed and butter is fully incorporated. At first, the dough will look extremely flaky and dry; let it keep mixing and it will eventually come together into a dough. Dump the dough into the baking sheet or dish and spread it evenly to the corners. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. The next day, heat the oven to 300°F. Dock the dough every inch or so with a fork. Bake until the shortbread is golden brown, 60-75 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Turn the shortbread out onto a cutting board, and slice into 4-inch x ¾-inch slices. Sprinkle with raw sugar and transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Prosciutto and Gruyere Pinwheels

Prosciutto and Gruyere Pinwheels

Prosciutto and Gruyere Pinwheels

 

3/4 C. finely grated Gruyère (about 3 ounces)

4 tsp. chopped fresh sage leaves

1 puff pastry sheet (from one 17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets), thawed

1 large egg, beaten lightly

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

 

In a bowl combine Gruyère and sage. On a lightly floured surface arrange pastry sheet with a short side facing you and cut in half crosswise. Arrange one half of sheet with a long side facing you and brush edge of far side with some egg. Arrange half of prosciutto evenly on top of pastry, avoiding egg-brushed edge, and top with half of Gruyère mixture. Starting with side nearest you, roll pastry jelly-roll fashion into a log and wrap in wax paper. make another log in same manner. Chill pastry logs, seam sides down, until firm, at least 3 hours, and up to 3 days. Preheat oven to 400°F. and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. Cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pinwheels and arrange, cut sides down, 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake pinwheels in batches in middle of oven until golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer pinwheels to a rack and cool slightly. Serve pinwheels warm.