Kristen's Recipes

Parsnip Cake

I love parsnips. I think they’re a very underused vegetable. I found an article in the Oregonian about parsnips in dessert recipes. There was an attached recipe for parsnip cake. Not one to leave well enough alone, I decided to create my own parsnip cake recipe. I used my favorite carrot cake recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that uses a buttermilk glaze in place of cream cheese frosting as my starting point. I wanted to incorporate maple syrup in the cake and the glaze, as I think it complements the parsnips nicely. I tried several spice combinations, and finally settled on French four spice (I used the Penzey’s blend which contains white pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves), cinnamon, and ginger. I am quite pleased with the result, and hope you get a chance to try this cake.

Makes one 9×13-inch cake

Spiced Parsnip Cake

2 C. all-purpose flour (10 ounces)

1/2 C. almond meal flour (2 ounces)

1/2 C. unsweetened shredded coconut (1 1/2 ounces)

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. French four spice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. table salt

1/2 C. buttermilk, room temperature

1/2 C. maple syrup (grade B preferred)

3/4 C. superfine or castor sugar (5 1/4 ounces)

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 C. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 C. shredded parsnips (about 2 large parsnips)

Preheat your oven to 325º F with a rack near the center. Grease your 9- by 13-inch glass cake pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine the first nine ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk about 30 seconds to fully mix and aerate the flour some. Set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients, excluding the parsnips, in a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine. The sugar should dissolve before proceeding to the next step. Dump the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until almost incorporated – like making pancake batter. Add the parsnips and stir until just incorporated. Pour into prepared cake pan, and bake until center springs back or a toothpick inserted near center come out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack, and immediately pour the glaze over the hot cake, trying not to let much glaze spill between the cake and the pan. I sometimes pierce the surface of the cake with a fork to allow the glaze to seep in better. NOTE: If you prefer, you could allow the cake to cool completely then frost with your favorite cream cheese icing. A little orange zest and/or juice in the icing would work well with the flavors of the cake.

Maple Buttermilk Glaze

1/4 C. maple syrup (grade B preferred)

1/4 C. unsalted butter

1/2 C. buttermilk, room temperature

Combine the maple syrup and butter in a glass measure or other microwave safe container. Heat until the maple syrup starts to boil and the butter is melted or close to it. Allow to cool for several minutes, then whisk in the buttermilk.

Cherry Stone Panna Cotta

This delicate, wobbling cream is perfumed with the mysterious cherry-almond essence contained in the kernel of the cherry pits— a reward for pitting the cherries.

3 pounds cherries

2 1/4 cups heavy cream, or more if needed

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (1 envelope is 1 tablespoon)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Pit the cherries, reserving 1/2 cup pits, and set the cherries aside for serving. Rinse the pits to remove any remaining fruit, and rub them in a clean tea towel to dry them. Now smash the pits: put them in another tea towel on a hard surface and smash them with a hammer so that they split open. Picking out just the kernels is tedious—it’s fine to use the kernels and shells together.  Combine the pits, cream, milk, and sugar in a medium stainless-steel saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. (Like apple seeds, cherry pits contain  very small amounts of cyanide, which is toxic only in relatively large quantities. However, heating the cherry pits will release fumes that you should not breathe in, so do this in a well-ventilated area and do not stick your head directly over the pan while the pits are simmering.) Remove from the heat, cover tightly, and set aside to steep for 1 hour.  Uncover the pan and return the liquid to a simmer. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons cold water in a medium bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the water to allow it to soften. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.  Strain the hot liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup. You need 4 cups liquid total; add a little more cream if necessary. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture over the gelatin, whisking gently to dissolve the gelatin. Whisk in the salt and taste.  Set the bowl into an ice bath. Stir frequently so the panna cotta cools evenly. When it is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes, divide it among eight 4-ounce custard or tea cups. Cover the cups tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, 4 to 6 hours.  Serve in the cups or unmold if desired by gradually tipping the cup upside down above a plate while lifting one side of the panna cotta off the cup and easing it onto the plate. Serve with some of the fresh cherries.

1 lb. phyllo dough sheets (18×14 inch)
3 C. raw unsalted pistachios (coarsely grounded)
1/3 C. raw unsalted pistachios (finely grounded)
3 tsp. powdered sugar
1 lb. sweet cream unsalted butter

For the Syrup:
3 C. ground sugar
1 ½ C. water
3 tsp. honey
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

First, prepare the syrup. Add the sugar and water in a pot. After the sugar melts, add the honey and lemon juice. Let it boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Cool syrup. It is easier to cool syrup if you pour it in a different pot or a deep bowl. Let it sit at room temperature. If the phyllo dough is frozen, make sure it’s thawed in the refrigerator and it is out of the fridge in room temperature 5 hours before preparing the baklava. Otherwise, the phyllo sheets may be sticky which will make them difficult to butter. Melt the butter on low heat and cool. Anything that accumulates on top (whitish foam), remove with a spoon. This will clarify the butter. Using a cooking brush, grease a 18×14 inch tray with the clarified butter. You may also use a 9×14 inch pyrex dish if you do not have an 18×14 inch tray. In this case, you will need to cut the phyllo sheets in half to fit the pyrex dish. Mix the coarsely grounded pistachios with the powdered sugar. Make sure everything is ready before opening the phyllo dough (i.e. the butter, the tray, the pistachio mix). The phyllo dough tends to dry out quickly. Cover with a damp cloth or a damp paper towel after opening. Select one sheet and place on the greased tray. Quickly butter the phyllo sheet completely. Add another sheet and repeat the same process until you have buttered 8-9 phyllo sheets. Then add 1 ½ C. the pistachio mix and spread all over the sheets so that there is a thin layer of the mix. Add another sheet of phyllo dough and butter all over. Repeat the same process for another 8-9 sheets. Add the rest of the pistachio mix and spread to cover the sheets. Again, place a sheet of phyllo dough on top of the mix and butter it. Butter each of the left phyllo dough sheets one by one until you are out of phyllo sheets. If you see that some of the phyllo sheets are sticky and will not come out separately, then you may add the sticky sheets all together (without separating) and butter very well. One of the secrets of a good baklava is making sure every single sheet is buttered well. After finishing the phyllo sheets, if you have left over butter, pour on top of the tray. Cut diagonally or in squares after pouring the butter. Heat the oven to 350º F. Place the baklava tray in the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove baklava when ready and pour the cooled syrup all over the tray. Make sure every single piece has syrup on it. The baklava has to be hot when pouring the cooled syrup. Decorate with the finely ground pistachios on top of each of the pieces. Cover with aluminum foil and let sit overnight. Enjoy with aa cup of strong Turkish coffee.

Mexican Lime Curd

I’d recommend organic limes for this recipe since you’ll be using the outer peel. If not, you’ll want to scrub them well. Also, just a note that the finished curd is bright yellow, not green. That’s no mistake. The color is influenced more by the egg yolks than the juice or zest.

1 T. finely grated lime zest (shiny outer part only, not the bitter white pith)

1 1/4 C. granulated sugar

3 eggs, well beaten

3/4 C. freshly squeezed lime juice from 6 Mexican limes (or ~12 Key limes)

6 T. unsalted butter

Pinch of salt

Place a large bowl half-full of ice water near the stove. Next to that, set a wire-mesh strainer nested inside a medium metal bowl. In a medium saucepan, rub the lime zest into the sugar with your fingers until moist and fragrant. Whisk in the beaten eggs and lime juice. Add the butter and salt, and set the pot over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the butter melts and the mixture thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Do not boil. Wait for when the mixture thickens to the consistency of a loose pudding. It should coat the back of a spoon, leaving a distinctive track when you run your finger through it. At this point, remove the pot from the heat. Set the bowl with the strainer inside the ice bath, and quickly pour the curd through the strainer into the bowl, using a rubber scraper to force the curd through the sieve. (The ice bath halts the cooking and the strainer is insurance to remove any overcooked egg proteins that may arise. Be sure to scrape as much of the curd as possible off the underside of the strainer.) Let the curd cool for a half hour before pouring it into small jars. The curd will thicken further and the flavor will intensify as it chills. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 C. finely chopped nuts
Topping:
bring to a boil:
2 C. brown sugar
4 T. butter
6 T. milk

Sift dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients. Beat 3 minutes with mixer. Pour into greased and floured 9×13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Test for doneness with toothpick inserted in center. Prick holes in cake with fork. Pour topping on hot cake. Serve with cool-whip.

1 box Lemon Jell-o (3 Ounces)
1-¾ cup Very Hot Water
¼ cups Lemon Juice
1 cup Sugar
1 can Evaporated Milk (12 Ounces), Chilled
2-½ cups Vanilla Wafers, Crushed

Combine the Jell-o, hot water, lemon juice, and sugar in a mixing bowl and stir until Jell-o is dissolved. Chill till partially set, about 1 hour. Just before Jell-o is set, pour the chilled evaporated milk into a large mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold together with Jell-o mixture. Pour 2 cups of vanilla wafer crumbs into the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan. Top with Jell-o mixture, then sprinkle with remaining vanilla wafer crumbs. Chill until set; a minimum of two hours, but best if allowed to chill at least 4 hours.

2 1/4 C. graham cracker crumbs (from about 17 whole graham crackers)

2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
10 T. butter, melted

3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 C. sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 C. dulce de leche
2 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 C. dulce de leche
2-3 T. heavy whipping cream

10 caramel chews
Fleur de sel

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Coat 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan coated with nonstick spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until coated. Transfer crumb mixture to pan. Press evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake until crust is light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Blend the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs 1 at a time, blending for 3 to 5 seconds each time until incorporated. Add in the dulce de leche and vanilla and blend until just mixed – about 10 seconds. Spread the batter evenly over the cooled crust and bake until the cheesecake mixture is just set in center and the edges are puffed and slightly cracked, about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely. Once the cheesecake bar is cooled, pour 2/3 C. dulce de leche sauce and a the 3 T. of whipping cream in a glass measuring C.. Microwave at 10 second intervals stirring between each interval. Do this until the mixture is smooth and combined. Next, take about 10 caramel chews and heat them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds until just melted. Quickly dump the melted caramel chews into the dulce de leche mixture and stir continuously until combined. The consistency should be pourable, but not too liquid. You want the caramel topping to be soft and gooey, but not too runny that is pours down the side of your bar once you cut it. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Lastly – (and this is the best part!) when you’re ready to serve the bars sprinkle the caramel glaze lightly with some fleur de sel.