2 C. fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed, if frozen
1/4 C. orange juice
1/4 C. water
2 T. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. orange peel, grated
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 dash salt
Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened.
4 oranges
4 cups orange juice
4 cherries
Cut the tops off the oranges in a zigzag pattern. Hollow out the insides, remove the seeds and combine in a blender with the juice. Set the rinds in a muffin tin and fill with the mixture. Drop a cherry inside each orange. Freeze for 2 to 3 hours. Soften the treats for 5 minutes, then serve.
2 C. milk
1 C. sugar
1 C. heavy cream
4 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. fresh blueberries, cleaned and picked over
1/2 C. unsalted shelled pistachio, blanched and skinned (2 ounces without shell)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place corn bread pieces in large bowl. Whisk light & heavy cream, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla and cinnamon in bowl till all incorporated together. Poor egg mixture over bread. Add blueberries and pistachios and toss to gently coat. Transfer mixture to a Sprayed 10-inch baking pan, lines with parchment paper covering baking dish with foil. Bake pudding 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until tester center comes out clean, about 35 minutes longer. Remove bread pudding from oven and cool. When cool, un-mold pudding by turning upside down on cutting board, remove parchment paper and cut bread pudding into designated shapes or squares. Reheat and serve warm with whipped cream & blueberry coulis.
Bread slices (white bread is best)
Sprinkles
Butter or margarine
Take out white bread, cut off the crusts. Or, leave them on. The fairy bread looks and tastes better when you use white bread, but any kind is okay. Spread some butter. Margarine can be used as a substitute but butter tastes better to many people. Put sprinkles on top. Cut the bread into different shapes. Triangles are traditional for fairy bread shapes. Serve on a pretty plate. You can also substitute the butter for nutella. It gives it a lovely chocolate taste.
1 box white or yellow or strawberry cake mix
1 tsp. lemon zest and 1 tsp. lime zest
2 C. whipping cream
2 to 4 T. sugar, powdered sugar, or Splenda
Zest of 1 lime and 1 lemon
2 pints fresh or frozen blueberries
Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Stir the pistachios if using, lemon zest, and lime zest into the batter and bake as directed in a 9×13-inch pan. Allow cake to cool thoroughly. Cut cake in half and break up one half of the cake and place in bottom of a clear trifle bowl. Measure whipping cream and sugar into a medium bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until mixture is slightly thick and fluffy (do not over-beat). Add the zest of lemon and lime and beat for 30 seconds. Spoon half of the whipped cream over the cake in bowl. Wash and dry blueberries. Spoon half of the blueberries on top of the cream in the bowl. Cut the second half of the cake to fit into the bowl, spoon remaining cream on top of cake and top with remaining blueberries. Note: Pistachios may be added to the cake batter or sprinkled over the first layer of blueberries in the bowl.
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 C. warm buttermilk
4 C. sifted flour
3/4 C. raw sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 T. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 C. Â molasses
1/2 C. Â butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350° F. Dissolve baking powder in warm buttermilk. Sift all other dry ingredients together into a bowl; set aside. Mix molasses, butter, eggs and vanilla. Add molasses mixture into buttermilk mixture. Gradually blend in dry ingredients until dough has formed. Roll dough out onto a lightly flour-dusted surface to approximately 1/4 inch thickness and cut out cakes with a round cookie cutter or glass. Place the cakes on a greased baking sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
2 eggs
¼ tsp. salt
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ C. milk
1 T. butter
1 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat milk in a small pan until it just starts to boil. Add butter to milk, stirring until melted. Keep milk warm. Beat eggs until light in color; add sugar, salt, vanilla and continue beating until mixed. Add baking powder to flour and stir to distribute. Add flour and milk alternately to the egg mixture with mixer running. Begin and end with flour; add milk in a thin stream. Pour into a buttered 9†cake pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Leave in cake pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cake rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Often, simple is best, and this little cake certainly has passed the test of time. Served in the summer with fresh fruit or at other times with home made preserves or jams.
Oregon Snowball Cookies (PNW)
The classic Russian tea cake gets an Oregon twist with the addition of chopped fir needles and brandy. One of Portland’s first craft distilleries, Clear Creek Distillery, got its start back in 1985 and became famous for its pear-in-the-bottle eau de vie. Its Douglas Fir brandy, which I boil to reduce its alcohol content, adds a delicate, evocative evergreen note to these cookies. It’s almost more scent than taste, like a winter hike in cookie form. If you can’t get your hands on the brandy, see the Note below.
1/2 C. Clear Creek Distillery Douglas Fir Brandy or other brandy (see Note)
1 1/2 C. toasted hazelnuts
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 C. confectioners’ sugar, divided
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh fir tree needles (see Note)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the brandy to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by half, to V4 cup. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. In a food processor or by hand, finely chop the hazelnuts. Set aside. In a food processor or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, process or beat the butter, 1/2 C. confectioners’ sugar, and minced fir needles until light and fluffy. Add the cooled brandy, vanilla extract, and salt and pulse or mix to combine. Add the flour and nuts and pulse or mix until fully incorporated. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on the baking sheets (place them about 1 inch apart; they don’t spread). Bake until just barely beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool slightly and then roll them in the remaining confectioners’ sugar. When completely cool, roll again. Serve or store in an airtight container. Note : I happen to have a true fir tree in my backyard, but if you don’t, look around the neighborhood or go for a walk. Just don’t use your Christmas tree, unless you know for certain it hasn’t been sprayed. If you use Douglas fir needles, keep in mind that they’re more potent. Note: For a brandv-free variation, in a food processor, process ¥2 C. granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons chopped fir needles until the needles are reduced to fine particles and blended into the sugar. Roll the baked cookies in the sugar while still slightly warm. When completely cool, roll in the confectioners’ sugar.
Peppermint Bark
The setting time for the bark varies greatly according to the temperature of your home. Although we preferred the texture of the bark set at room temperature, you can set bark in the refrigerator if necessary.
Line a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet with cooking parchment; butter parchment. Chop 2 pounds bittersweet or milk chocolate and place with 1 tablespoon solid vegetable shortening in a heatproof bowl that will nest in a 3- to 4-quart pan. Heat 1 inch of water in the pan just until steaming. Remove from heat and place bowl over water (bowl shouldn’t touch water). Stir occasionally just until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over pan. Meanwhile, place 2 pounds peppermint candy in a heavy zip-lock plastic bag; pound with a mallet or rolling pin to crush. Transfer 1 1/4 cups crushed peppermint to a fine strainer; hold over melted chocolate and knock side to sift fine dust into chocolate. Reserve candy in strainer. Stir remaining unsifted peppermint into chocolate mixture. Using a flexible spatula, scrape onto parchment and spread 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick (mixture should almost cover sheet). Sprinkle with reserved peppermint from strainer; gently press into chocolate. Let stand at cool room temperature until completely firm, 4 to 6 hours, or overnight. Break or cut bark into pieces. Store airtight in a cool place up to 1 month.
5-Minute Grapes in Honey-Lemon Sauce
1/4 C. green grapes
3/4 C. red grapes
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 T. honey
Optional: sliced almonds
Remove grapes from stem and place in two dessert dishes. Mix honey with lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl. Spoon over the grapes and serve.
Cinnamon Sugar Chex Mix
2/3 C. sugar (white, granulated)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
9 C. Chex Cereal
1/2 C. salted butter
1 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Preheat oven to 350. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment, and spray with nonstick baking spray, or brush/rub with butter. Combine white sugar & cinnamon in a small bowl, and set aside. Pour cereal into a large, heat-safe bowl, and set aside. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup until the mixture comes to a boil, and let boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in baking soda. Pour hot butter/sugar/soda mixture over cereal and stir until cereal is coated. Spread cereal on prepared baking sheet & sprinkle evenly with cinnamon/sugar mixture
Place into hot oven and bake for about 5 minutes, then flip and bake for 3 more minutes, until cereal turns golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely, then break up and store in an airtight container
Fluffy Boiled Icing
1 cup sugar
1 egg white
½ tsp. flavoring (vanilla or other)
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
3 T. hot water
Combine egg white, sugar, cream of tartar, flavoring, and water in top of double boiler, beating until thoroughly mixed. Place over boiling water and beat constantly until icing stands in peaks. Remove from heat and add flavoring. Frost cake. Start by adding a layer of frosting to top of bottom layer. Place top layer over bottom. Frost sides, then top.
RHUBARB SUNDAES
3 rhubarb stalks, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1Â Â cinnamon stick
2Â tablespoons honey
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Mint leaves, for serving (optional)
Sugar cones, for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine the chopped rhubarb, salt, vanilla, cinnamon stick, honey, and lemon juice in a baking dish or small ovenproof saucepan. Toss the ingredients to combine and cover the dish or pan with a lid. Bake for 30 minutes, until slightly thickened and fragrant. Remove the chutney from the oven and set it aside to cool. Top scoops of vanilla ice cream with warm or room-temperature rhubarb chutney, and, if desired, add a few fresh mint leaves and a little cone hat to each serving. Refrigerate extra chutney in an airtight glass jar and enjoy within 1 week.
Rhubarb Slab Cake with Crème Fraiche Frosting
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cups unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups white granulated sugar
3/4 cup milk
6 large egg whites
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup roasted rhubarb (recipe follows)
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F and grease a 13×9-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until combined. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar and butter and beat until light and fluffy with a hand mixer. In a small bowl, combine in the milk, egg whites, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup rhubarb puree and whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture, in parts. Slowly add in milk/egg/rhubarb mixture and continue stirring until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and transfer to the oven to bake for 25 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature. Top with Crème Fraiche Frosting and sprinkles!
1 can apple pie filling (21 oz)
1 box spice cake mix (18 oz)
1 C. melted margarine or butter
1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour pie filling into greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over filling. Pour melted margarine over cake mix and top with nuts. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
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1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
3 medium apples unpeeled cored and cut up
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup dark raisins
1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
Popsicle sticks
Process apples, juice, cinnamon and raisins in blender or food processor until smooth; add sugar to taste. It will taste less sweet when frozen. Spoon into 3-4 ounce paper or plastic cups or frozen sucker molds. Place in freezer. When partially frozen, insert a stick in each cup and finish freezing.
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Sautéed Blueberries with Lavender Essence and Whipped Cream
1 tablespoon fresh or dried lavender flowers
¼ cup boiling water
3 cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2–4 tablespoons raw honey
1 cup heavy cream
Put the lavender flowers in a teapot or jar and pour the boiling water over them. Cover with a lid and let steep for 10 minutes, then strain into a saucepan. Â Add the blueberries, butter, and honey to taste to the lavender infusion. Heat over medium heat until the berries soften and release their juices, 5 to 6 minutes. While the berries are cooking, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Serve the berries hot, in bowls, with generous dollops of the whipped cream.
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Pink Powdered Sugar Frosting
Pink Fondant
Small Tube of Black Icing
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely. Frost with pink icing; decorate with fondant snout and ears. Finish by adding eyes, nostrils, and mouth with black tube icing.
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kid, dessert, sweets, cookies, baking
Instant Pot Lemon-Poppyseed Breakfast Cake
¾ cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest (I did zest from 1 lemon)
¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 full lemon)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
1/3 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter melted
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Lemon Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Spray your instant pot cake pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper on the bottom.
In a bowl Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Now in a new bowl you will add in your butter, sugar, lemon juice, zest, sour cream, and egg. Whip the lemon cake batter until creamy.
Then add dry ingredients to your wet ingredients stirring with a whisk. Pour your cake batter into your cake pan, and then place it in the rubber sling. Add ½ cup water into pressure cooker. Then place your cake into the Instant Pot. Place Instant Pot lid on, and make sure the valve is sealed. You will then cook high pressure 25 minutes. Then allow it to natural release for 15 minutes, and then release any leftover pressure and remove cake. I placed the lemon poppy seed cake on a cooling rack to cool. Now you will mix the 1 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl and slowly add in a little lemon juice at a time. You might not use it all. You want it to be a thicker glaze. When lemon cake is cooled, pour the glaze over the top. Store leftovers in fridge for 3-5 days.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
1 and 1/2 C. (190 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C. (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 C. (50 grams) brown sugar
1 egg yolk room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 C. (60 grams) pumpkin puree
For the cinnamon sugar coating:
2 T. (25 grams) granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until well combined. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for about 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract, then mix in the pumpkin puree, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using a 2 T. cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each one. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 T. of sugar and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon for the coating. Roll each ball of cookie dough in the cinnamon sugar coating and place back on the baking sheets. Bake in separate batches at 350°F for 10-13 minutes or until the cookies are set. Make sure to refrigerate the other batch of cookie dough while the first batch is baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Lime Layer Cake
1 C. unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans (2 sticks=1 C.)
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, plus more for pans
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 T. lemon zest
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
1 C. low-fat buttermilk
Lime Buttercream
7-8 C. confectioners’ sugar
2 limes juiced
6 T. lime zest
1 C. butter softened to room temperature
8-10 T. milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans. Make sure to tap out the excess flour. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. In a large bowl mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, or use your KitchenAid mixer like me, cream together butter and 1 1/2 C. sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low and add in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Mix in lemon juice. Alternate adding in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour. Mix until well combined. Pour ½ of the batter into one pan and add the remaining to the second pan. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Once cakes are completely cooked remove from the oven and cool. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes on a cake rack, then remove cakes from the pans and place back on cake rack, allowing them to completely cool. While the cakes are cooling, make lime buttercream. In a large bowl, cream together the confectioners’ sugar and butter until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk, lime zest and juice with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired.
2 Layer Cake – Evenly spread the filling on top of the bottom layer, then add the second cake on top. Frost and garnish with zest if desired. Enjoy!
Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 C. butter room temperature
2/3 C. granulated sugar
2/3 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 C. 100% pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 1/4 C. AP flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4 T. unsalted butter room temperature
6 oz. cream cheese room temperature
2 1/2 – 3 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 375F. Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mat, set aside. This would also be a great time to brown the butter and place it in the fridge! See first step in frosting below.  In the bowl or a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add pumpkin and eggs and mix on medium speed until combined.  In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice. Gradually add to wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated.  Drop heaping T. of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the top springs back when touched. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
Place the butter in a light-colored skillet or saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The butter will start to foam and turn a golden brown color with a nutty aroma. You’ll notice brown specks after about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. Place in refrigerator until solid. Remove butter and let it warm up slightly. Place in the bowl of a standing mixer (or a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until creamy. Add cream cheese and continue mixing on medium-high until combined. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Mix on low until powdered sugar is incorporated, then turn the speed up to high and beat for 1 – 2 minutes. Spread onto cooled cookies and enjoy!
Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 C. (or more) caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 C. (or more) toffee bits
sliced apples, pears, pretzels for serving (at least 4-5 apples)
Place cream cheese on a serving dish. If you’d like, shape into a round and indent in the center to hold more caramel. Pour as much caramel sauce as you want evenly over cream cheese. Sprinkle with a generous helping of toffee bits. Serve with sliced apples, pears, or pretzels.
Sugar Cookie Bars
1 1/2 C. butter, softened to room temperature
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
5 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 C. butter, softened to room temperature
5 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
dash of salt
Food coloring (optional)
2-3 tsp. milk if needed
Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat till well blended. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and stir till well combined. Press into a 17″ x 12″ rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until barely light brown. Cool completely, then frost. Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl till smooth. Add powdered sugar, extracts, salt, and food coloring. Beat till smooth and creamy, adding milk as needed. Top with sprinkles if desired.
Maraschino Cherry Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 C. maraschino cherries, finely chopped (about half of a 16oz jar)
3/4 C. soft butter
1 C. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 C. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
dash of salt
2 1/2 – 3 C. powdered sugar
For bars: Drain cherries well. Chop and set aside. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Add flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir till combined. Fold in the cherries. Press dough into a well-greased 9×13″ pan. (I like to line mine with foil first.) Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes or till very lightly brown on the edges. Cool bars completely, then frost with cream cheese frosting. Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter till smooth and creamy. Beat in vanilla, almond extract, salt, and enough powdered sugar to make a spreadable frosting. Spread on bars
Mango & Lime Pops
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 small ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of kosher salt
Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan and warming over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves. Cool completely. Combine the syrup, mangoes, lime juice, cayenne pepper, and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend well, pour into molds, and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. Freeze up to 3 months. Store in the molds or release, wrap well in waxed paper, and store in a marked sealable plastic bag.
E:\Stuff\Cookbook\Sorted\Special Events\4th of July Berry Pie.docx
Honey-Baked Rhubarb
Try it on French toast or perfect pancakes, or spooned on to your customized muesli or thick yogurt. Alternatively, serve with vanilla ice cream for a pretty dessert.
2 lb. rhubarb, cut into 2-4 inch lengths
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange
¼ C. T. runny honey
Put the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish large enough to hold it in a single layer, then scatter over the orange zest and pour in the juice. Trickle over the honey and gently mix the whole lot together. Cover loosely with foil and bake in an oven preheated to 150°C/Gas Mark 2 for 45 minutes–1 hour, until the rhubarb is tender, giving it a gentle stir halfway through. The pieces of rhubarb should keep their shape rather than cook to a mush. Leave to cool before serving. Sealed in a container, with the syrupy juices from the tray, this can be kept for a week or so in the fridge.
Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Butter Cream Frosting
1 C. Granulated Sugar
1 Stick Un-Salted Butter, softened
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 1/3 C. All Purpose Flour
1/3 C. Whole Milk
For the Frosting:
1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, softened
½ C. Raspberry Preserves
½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 16oz Box of Powdered Sugar
Fresh Raspberries, for garnishing
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake tin with liners and set aside. In a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla and cream together until you get a smooth mixture. Add the dry ingredients and with the speed on low mix together and slowly add the milk and just mix everything to combine. DO NOTOVERMIX! Make sure you give everything a good stir with a spatula from the bottom to incorporate any bit that wasn’t mixed. This is a thick batter. A rounded ice cream scoop works well. Scoop the batter into your lined cupcake tin, make sure it’s only filled ¾ of the way up because they will rise. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool for about 45 minutes before frosting. To make the frosting combine all the frosting ingredients except the fresh raspberries and mix together to combine. Add the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe the frosting onto the Cupcakes. Top with a few fresh raspberries.
Blueberry Lavender Cranberry Crisp
Filling:
3 C. blueberries
1 C. cranberries
1/2 tsp. lavender flowers
3/4 C. sugar
Topping:
1-1/2 C. crushed oatmeal graham crackers
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine blueberries, cranberries, lavender flowers, and sugar. Mix well and pour into an 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Combine crushed crackers, brown sugar, melted butter, and sliced almonds. Crumble over the top of the filling. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until filling is bubbly. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Love Letter Pastries
1 pie crust, refrigerated
Peaches, sliced
Strawberries, sliced
Pears, sliced
Raspberries, sliced
Sugar
Flour
Whipping cream
Sprinkle flour over the cutting board and unroll the pie crust. Cut off the edges of the pie crust to form a square, then cut the large square into four smaller, even squares. Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut four small hearts from the leftover edge pieces of the pie crust. Place the four squares of pie crust onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Arrange slices of peaches and strawberries on two of the squares, then place slices of pear and raspberries onto the other two. Sprinkle sugar and flour over the fruit, then fold three corners of the pie crust inward to form the “envelope.†Place the small heart-shaped piece of pie crust at the meeting point of the three corners and brush with whipping cream. Bake the fruit-filled love letters at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes, then share with the ones you love!
Lemon Cardamom Apple Cake
2 apples, cored and thinly sliced, skin on
1.5 C. (170 gr.) self-raising flour, sifted
pinch of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 C. Â (200 gr.) sugar
1/3 C. (80 ml.) of olive oil
2 whole eggs and two egg yolks
1/2 C. (125 gr.) greek yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
zest of half a lemon
almond flakes for sprinkling
1 T. demerara sugar
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and line the bottom of a 23 cm. (9 in.) greased cake pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine sifted flour, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. In a separate bowl, mix together olive oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, whisk in your whole eggs and egg yolks, one by one, until well incorporated into the mixture. Add yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Fold the flour and spices into the wet mixture in three batches until just combined. Cover the bottom of the cake pan with about a third of the apple slices. Pour half of the cake batter over the top and cover with another third of the apple. Pour in the rest of the cake batter and top with the remaining apple slices, flaked almonds, and about 1 T. of demarara or white sugar. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until golden or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring from pan.
Lemon Yogurt Cake with Ginger-Thyme Syrup
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. butter, room temperature
1 1/2 C. white sugar
4 eggs
1/2 C. lemon juice
2 T. lemon zest
1 C. plain, whole milk yogurt
Pre-heat oven to 350°F Grease and flour a large (9 x 5 x 3″) loaf pan. Lightly whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. In another large bowl, using an electric beaters if possible, beat butter until fluffy, then beat in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, then add lemon juice and zest. Beat in yogurt. Mixture may curdle, but don’t worry–it will come together when the dry ingredients are added. Add dry ingredients and mix gently just until blended. Spoon into pan and place in oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until done. The cake will be golden brown on the outside and spring back when you lightly press the middle with your fingers. Meanwhile, while the cake is baking, make the ginger-thyme syrup.
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. water
2″ piece of fresh, peeled ginger, sliced into coins
3 large sprigs of thyme
Combine all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat a little and cook until the syrup has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes total. Strain out the ginger and thyme and keep warm until the cake is out of the oven. I did this by leaving the pan on my stove top, which was warm from the oven below. Remove cake from the oven, turn out onto a rack and let cool 5 minutes. Place on a serving plate and spoon some of the syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in. You will most likely not use all of the syrup but it’s very nice to whisk a T. or so into some heavy whipping cream to serve along side the cake. Or you can keep it in the refrigerator, where it will come in handy for cocktails.
Lemongrass Ginger Syrup
Great way to make use / preserve ginger. Use for marinades, to sweeten tea or other beverages, or mix with sparkling water and lemon juice for a homemade ginger ale.
570 grams fresh ginger
3 stalks lemongrass
2 C. water
6 C. granulated sugar
Thoroughly wash the ginger. You don’t need to peel it, but break off any hanging pieces as dirt sometimes gets trapped between nodes. Roughly chop the ginger and lemongrass and add it to a food processor along with the lemongrass and 2 C. of water. Process until the mixture is pureed, scraping down the sides a few times with a spatula. Line a 2 C. liquid measuring C. with multiple layers of cheese cloth, or a single layer of fine-mesh muslin and scoop the ginger mixture onto the cheese cloth; you’ll probably need to do this in batches. Gather up the edges of the cloth and twist the edges towards the bulge of ginger to wring out as much liquid as you can. Discard the pulp and repeat until you’ve squeezed out all the ginger juice. You should now have 4 C. of liquid. If you don’t have 4 C., the ginger you used may have not been fresh, but just add water to make 4 C.. Add the ginger juice to a large pot along with 6 C. of sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat to a full simmer. It has a tendency to boil over, so keep a constant eye on it and lower the temperature if it looks like it’s going to boil over. The impurities that made the juice cloudy will float to the top as foam, so use a fine mesh skimmer or spoon to remove the foam from the syrup and discard. After the foam stops forming and the syrup is clear, your ginger syrup is done. You can pour the hot syrup into sterilized glass bottles, or let it cool and transfer it to a suitable container. Stored in the fridge it will last for 6 months.
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1 and 1/2 pint raspberries
1 and 1/2 pint blackberries
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
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Combine raspberries, blackberries, sugar and ground cardamom in a medium bowl. Mix together gently. Let mixture stand until berries are juicy, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
9″ Baked Pie Shell
1 1/2 C. Sugar
1/3 C. Cornstarch
1 1/2 C. Water
3 Egg Yolks, slightly beaten
3 T. Butter
1/4 C. Lemon Juice
1 1/3 T. grated Lemon Rind
3 Egg Whites
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar
6 T. Sugar
Heat oven to moderately hot (400 degrees). Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Slowly stir in water. Stir constantly over moderate heat until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minute. Slowly stir half of the mixture into the egg yolks, then beat back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil one minute longer, stirring constantly. Take from heat. Stir until smooth. Blend in butter, lemon juice and rind. Pour into baked pie shell. Make a meringue of the 3 egg whites, cream of tartar and 6 T. sugar. Spread over filling, sealing to edge. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until delicately browned. Cool at room temperature away from drafts.
9″ Baked Pie Shell
1 C. sifted Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/3 C. Shortening
2 T. Water
Heat oven to very hot (475 degrees). Mix flour and salt and cut in shortening. Sprinkle with water; mix well with fork. Round into smooth ball; flatten slightly. Roll out 1†larger than inverted pie pan. Ease into pan. Flute edges. Prick pastry. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
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25 KRAFT Caramels (1/2 of 14-oz. bag)
1/4 C. milk
2 T.. peanut butter
3 red or green apples, each cut into 8 slices
1/2 C. PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts, chopped
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Place caramels, milk and peanut butter in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2-1/2 to 3 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each min. Serve warm as a dip with the apple slices. Sprinkle dipped apples with peanuts.
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 1/4 C. eggnog
2/3 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shells
In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, eggnog, sugar, eggs, spices and salt. Mix well. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean—mine took about 70 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate until serving.
1 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. finely grated lemon rind
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
8 ounces chocolate kisses
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream butter and gradually beat in sugars until very smooth and whipped. Add egg, lemon juice and rind. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add half the flour mixture, beat until smooth, and then add the rest. Fill cookie press and use flower press (No. 10). Or, form cookies by dropping 1 T. dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Place 1 chocolate kiss in center. Bake 9-10 minutes.