Archive for the 'sweet' Category

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(Nutmeg) Zucchini Bread

October 13, 2011

I know what you’re thinking: “zucchini again?!”  It’s been zucchini overload in the past couple of months, I realize.  And I also am aware that just because I’ve found a new love in zucchini does not mean that I have to impose it on you.  But I have something to say about this.  A couple things, actually:

1. I want you to make this bread, but I have absolutely no idea when zucchini season ends.  It definitely seems like a summer vegetable (but I wouldn’t know, I only started liking it this year).  But it’s still appearing in abundance at the grocery store.  Which could actually all be lies because grocery stores are also selling strawberries (whose season ended back in June, of course).  But my point is I obviously want you to make this when zucchinies are available (though not necessarily “in season”).  And they’re available now!

2. Its not really the zucchini that’s highlighted here.  It’s the spices!  It’s just called zucchini bread, and though it may be an active ingredient, it’s not the star.  I would say the star is the nutmeg…in which case you can call this “nutmeg zucchini bread”.  (You can’t get rid of the zucchini altogether from the name because it’s still a pretty integral component of this bread.  You understand).

3. I don’t have a number 3.  Oh, except to say that I promise I won’t post another zucchini recipe for at least another 6 months!  Even though I’m very sure I’ll make this particular recipe several times in the next six months (only, of course, if I will be able to find zucchinies at the grocery store).  But this has got to be my favorite zucchini recipe thus far.  This bread is also very warm and cozy: that was one last attempt to make you want to make another zucchini recipe.  Now I’ll stop.

Zucchini Bread (adapted from here)

3 eggs
scant 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup cinnamon applesauce
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease two loaf pans, liberally.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder salt and nuts in a separate bowl.

Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and mix well, making sure that all of the flour is well mixed. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 50-60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan, on a wire rack, for about an hour, then turn out on wire rack to cool completely.

Photo 1 Credit: Hannah Mellman

Posted in breakfast, sweet, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
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Flax Seed Granola Bars

October 6, 2011

I had big plans for you this week, friends.  I was going to post candy to get ready for Halloween, and then decided on a pumpkin bread to celebrate fall, and then thought of some pie, because that’s what this season is known for.  And man, do I love them all.  But then, all I really wanted were some granola bars.

I love October.  It’s my second favorite month (the only exception is my birthday month, I’m sure you understand).  I love that the weather is just turning a bit cooler, and that leaves are changing colors.  But what I really just love about October is the food.  Really.  Pumpkin and pears and apples and spices.  It’s the most wonderful time of  year (not December as the song may suggest).  But all I kept thinking was that you all will be engulfed in desserts for the next three months (most likely by this blog) and I just thought that it is time to step back and have a heart healthy and satisfying granola bar.

But, quite frankly, there is something pretty October about granola bars too, don’t you think?  A hearty snack full of oats and spices – it’s totally fall like.  Don’t you worry – those candy and cookie and pie and pumpkin recipes are next for you.  Because I have big plans for you.  But just for this week, let’s celebrate October with these beauties.

Flax Seed Granola Bars (from New York Times)

2 cups oats

3 tbsp. butter

½ cup flax seed meal

½ tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup honey

¼ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. dark brown sugar

½ cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 inch square or round baking pan with cooking spray.  In a deep pot, melt the butter over a medium-low heat.  Add the oats and stir continuously until the oats are a deeper shade, about 4-5 minutes.  Place the oats in a bowl.  Add cinnamon and flax seed meal.  Stir to mix together.

Wipe out pot and add honey and brown sugar.  Heat over medium heat for about 4 minutes.  The mixture should be bubbly and a bit darker.  Pour over oats.  Mix together immediately until everything is well incorporated.  Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until browned.  Take out of the oven and let the bars cool for 10 minutes.  Without taking the bars out of the baking dish, cut the bars into desired size.  Let cool completely and then remove from pan.

Posted in breakfast, sweet, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Chocolate Orange Macaron Layer Cake

September 26, 2011

This is, by far, the tallest thing that has ever come out of my kitchen.  It was tall, people.  Like over a foot tall.  But that’s enough about the height of the cake.  It was also delicious!  Two layers of chocolate orange cake, with chocolate chip french macaron layers to fill in.  Pretty amazing.  The taste was as good as the cake was high.  Yep, tall.

This cake was actually another product of my sister’s birthday.  Sure, her birthday used to be a an occassion where she just got to pick her own dessert.  But it’s turned into a challenge for me to outdo whatever I created the year before.  And if last year’s was a monster, then this year’s was a beast.  If you consider beasts to be bigger than monsters, that is.

But there is much more to this story than this: we had a party for my sister’s birthday.  A Michael Jackson themed party.  Alas, there was no time to take beautiful photos to show just how scrumptious this cake was between the karaoke and the moonwalking!  So you don’t even get to see the true tallness of this cake!  I know, such a tease.  But you will see the Thriller glove sugar cookies that I made.  And I certainly hope that makes up for it.

Chocolate Orange Macaron Layer Cake

Considering how impressive this cake looks, it was surprisingly easy to put together.  It was frosted, and ready to be eaten all in a morning’s time.  I love the chocolate orange combo, and so does my sister (and so does Michael Jackson, we’d like to believe), but the fruit/chocolate combo is obviously endless.  Or you can make it pure chocolate.  I have to say that the chocolate was a bit too much for me (but I’m a cinnamon and fruit flavored dessert girl, after all), so next time I would probably omit the chocolate chips from the macaron layers.  The aforementioned tall thing is pretty important considering serving sizes – with this four layer cake, we were able to feed about 40 people with satisfying slices.

Chocolate Orange Macaron Layer Cake (all components adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Chocolate Layers

2 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 sticks butter, room temperature

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup freshly brewed coffee or freshly made instant coffee, cooled to room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla

1 orange, zested

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two 9 inch round cake pans.  Line with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper.

In a bowl of a standing mixer, combine all dry ingredients, through the salt.  Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds until everything is well combined.  Add butter and buttermilk and blend, starting on low speed, increasing as it starts to become well combined.  Beat for 2-3 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, coffee, vanilla and orange zest.  With the mixer running, blend in the coffee mixture in 3 additions.  When well blended, take a spatula and stir, scraping the bottom, ensuring that all of the dry ingredients have been thoroughly mixed in.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack, in their pans until cool enough to handle, then turn out of pans and let the layers cool completely on the wire rack.

Macaron Layers

2.5 cups, or 10.5 oz. ground almonds

1 cup sugar

2 large pinches salt

2  tsp. vanilla (or 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste, or 1 vanilla bean)

6 large egg whites

Set the oven racks in the top third and bottom third of oven.  Preheat the oven to 325.  Spray two 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray.  Line with parchment paper, and spray again.  Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the almonds, sugar and salt.  With a mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form.  With the mixer running, slowly add in the vanilla and remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar.  Beat until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.  Gently fold in the egg white mixture into the almond mixture until well combined.  Add mini chocolate chips and stir.  Divide evenly among the two pans, spreading to make sure that it covers all sides.

Bake macaron layers until golden and almost firm to the touch, rotating the pans half way through the baking.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Take out of oven and let cool, in the pan, on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.  Carefully take the layers out of the pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Fudge Frosting

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

4 cups powdered sugar

3 sticks butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup half and half

1 tablespoon vanilla

Place everything in a blender and blend until well combined.  Add more half and half if needed for a better consistency.

To Assemble

1 jar good orange marmalade

On a plate, place a chocolate cake layer upside down.  Spread with about 2 tablespoons of orange marmalade, or enough to cover the surface of the cake.  Place a macaron layer on top of the marmalade.  Spread a layer of the chocolate frosting on top.  Place another layer of the chocolate cake layer on top of the frosting.  Spread more orange marmalade on the cake layer.  Repeat with macaron layer.  Place the remainder of the frosting on top, covering the top and sides.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Posted in cake, chocolate, sweet, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

No Bake Chocolate Nut Cookies

September 8, 2011

I entered a no-bake cookie contest.  At a state fair.  Not even my own state’s state fair!  Just a random no bake cookie contest at a random state fair.  And, people, I was positive that I was going to win.  Not only that, I just knew that I was going to get first place.  There wasn’t a doubt in my mind.

Well, I didn’t get first place.  Or second, or third.  In fact, I spotted my cookies on the fair secretary’s lunch plate while judging was still going on.

So, no, I’m not going to post the losing cookie recipe.  Even though it sure was tasty and should have been a winner.  What I didn’t enter (but should have) was this cookie right here.  A recipe that comes up about 4 million times (exaggeration) when you google “no bake cookie”.  It’s apparently very much the ultimate no bake cookie.  I tried this recipe before the contest to test it out, and thought it tasted way too gooey and sweet – more like candy instead of cookie.  Also, because it was so well known, I decided that there is no way that this recipe would win.  I needed something more cookie-like and unique.

Well, lo and behold, when I dropped off the cookies to the judging table, there were about 17 cookies that looked just like these.  Not too surprising.  But then, I find out that these won first place.  What?!  How does this even work?  How do cookies that show up 4 million times through google, and 17 times at one competition and don’t even taste like cookies win first place at a cookie contest?!  No answers.  None at all.  But at least I can say that I’m posting a winning recipe!

No Bake Chocolate Nut Cookies (adapted from many recipes found on the internet)

I sound bitter.  So here I am saying that these are quite tasty!  But like I said, these don’t really taste like cookies.  In fact, I was contemplating calling them “oatmeal chocolate nut fudge drops”, but that didn’t roll off the tongue as easily.  I did change the recipe a bit to add a crunch factor that is more reminiscent of cookies.  I also added salt, which was not in any of the recipes that I saw.  And let’s be honest, these are ridiculously easy, which ups their appeal factor.  These are best out of the refrigerator.

1/2 stick butter, salted

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp. cocoa powder

1/4 cup Nutella (or peanut butter, or any nut butter)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups quick cooking oats, toasted in a pan, over low heat, and cooled

1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped (or peanuts, or any complimenting nut)

1/2 tsp. salt

In a saucepan, over medium heat, stir together the butter, cocoa, milk and sugar.  Bring to a boil and let it boil for 1 minute.  Take it off the heat and add Nutella, and vanilla.  After it is all well mixed together, stir in oats, salt, and nuts.  Drop by tablespoon-fulls on baking sheets, lined with waxed paper.  Let it set and form into cookie like shapes.  Store in the refrigerator.

Posted in chocolate, cookies, sweet, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
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Peanut Butter Froyo Pie

September 1, 2011

I’ve loved froyo forever.  Long before it was the trendiest treat in town.  I loved it before the tangy’s and the sweet’s.  Before the pink’s and the berry’s.  I even loved it when it was still called frozen yogurt.  I’m not going to lie – I claim froyo to be mine.

Needless to say, there have been a countless number of times when I have tried to make froyo at home.  And alas, there have been a subsequent countless number of failures.  Turns out that froyo is not the easiest thing to make.  I’ve tried to freeze yogurt that I’ve bought.  I’ve tried to make my own yogurt (not so smart).  I even bought a machine that’s specifically for making froyo.  Nothing worked.

And then I realized that froyo is just a lighter version of ice cream!  So, of course, there has to be churning involved!  Or, in this case, blending.  This is by far the easiest recipe of frozen yogurt that I’ve come across, and also the tastiest.  I poured mine into a pie shell to have one last summer-hurrah frozen dessert.  But I’m thinking that this would be quite comforting in the cold weather as well.  And if you make this enough, I’ll even let you claim froyo for yourself.  You’re welcome.

Peanut Butter Froyo Pie (adapted from Serious Eats)

2 cups low fat or fat free vanilla yogurt

1 1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup milk

1/4 cup agave nectar or honey

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips + more for sprinkling

1 store-bought chocolate pie crust

Blend together yogurt, peanut butter, milk and agave until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.  Let chill and firm up in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.  Mix in the mini chocolate chips, and pour mixture into the ready pie crust.  Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top.  Place into the freezer until firm, about 2 hours.

Posted in pies and tarts, sweet, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
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Coconut Pecan Berry Cobbler

August 25, 2011

I know, people.  I know what you’re thinking.  I’ve been a bit berry happy this summer.  And if not with berries, I’ve certainly incorporated fresh summer fruits in just about everything that I’ve posted lately.  But this post is trying to fool you!  It’s not at all about the summer produce!  You can substitute frozen berries when they’re no longer in season.  I’m letting you do that!  Because this, my friends, is about the coconut flour.

Coconut flour is my latest obsession.  I first used it in a gluten free cake recipe, and it was divine.  Ingenious, really.  Because it took this plain cake and turned it into a coconut cake without the fuss of a coconut syrup, coconut extract, coconut rum or coconut custard.  And that’s just plain amazing – I say this from experience.  Coconut flour basically just tastes like dried up coconut, but looks like a flour and has flour-like abilities.  If it had its own wikipedia page, I’d really be able to confirm what it is.

What I do know is that the coconut flour puts a slightly sweet and unique spin on the regular ol’ cobbler, which you’re probably tired of making this late in the game.  So go track some down, whip it out and allow yourself to be swept away on this new-found journey with coconut flour!  The possibilities are endless.

Coconut Pecan Berry Cobbler (adapted from Simply Recipes)

The drawback to the coconut flour is that it is expensive…and hard to find.  So because I don’t really understand what it is quite yet, I suggest the following: use regular all-purpose flour to replace the coconut flour.  And for the coconut, grind up shredded coconut to a powder until you have 1/4 cup.  And use just the regular shredded coconut, unground, for the other 1/4 cup.  And then throw in another handful of the shredded coconut for good measure.

Filling –

4 cups mixed berries (I used a mix of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries), fresh or frozen

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. instant tapioca

Topping –

1/2 cup coconut flour (see headnote)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix together all of the ingredients of the filling and pour into an ungreased 8×8 or equivalent sized baking dish.  To make the topping, stir together all of the dry ingredients.  Add the butter and rub into the dry ingredients.  Sprinkle the topping on to the filling in the prepared pan.  Bake for 35 minutes until the topping has turned golden brown.  Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes and then serve.

Posted in fruit, sweet, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Summer Strawberry Cake

August 18, 2011

Right around this time, every year, I get this sinking feeling that summer is ending.  I mean, it is, obviously.  But I really start to feel at the end of August: when all of the back to school sales are over because schools are actually in session; when you start to see  pumpkins growing in gardens; when boots are appearing in store fronts; and saddest of all, when summer produce starts to fade away.

So for the past couple of weeks, during my weekly trip to the farmers market, I’ve been trying to keep a positive attitude about the gradual disappearance of the corn and watermelon.  I’m ready to get my fall flavors on, I tell myself!  But then, last week, all of a sudden, out of the blue, the farmers market was selling strawberries!  The same strawberries that typically have a season until mid June!  I haven’t seen these guys since spring!  Cute, little itty bitty strawberries that just had ohh so much flavor!  Best ever.

What does this mean!  Well, I think an argument could be made for climate change.  But let’s just say that summer wants to hold on for just a bit longer.  At least long enough for me to make this delicious cake.  This seriously is one of my most favorite cakes: it’s simple, sweet and highlights the fruit.  It’s delicious with strawberries, which is my fruit of choice for this cake, but really, you can use anything you want.  Especially because, apparently, summer lives on.

Summer Strawberry Cake (adapted from here)

6 tablespoons butter, softened, plus more for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 or 10-inch pie plate. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl.  Mix together milk, egg and vanilla into a separate bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and 1 cup sugar for 3-4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.  Reduce the speed and beat in milk and egg mixture.

Reducing the speed of the mixer to low, gradually beat in the flour mixture until it’s well incorporated.  You may have to use a wooden spoon at the end.  Pour into the prepared pie plate.  Arrange the strawberries decoratively, cut side down, on cake batter, gently pushing in the strawberries.  Sprinkle the raw sugar on top of strawberries.

Bake cake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes.  Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack.

Posted in cake, fruit, sweet, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Sweet Corn and Berry Ice Cream Tart

August 4, 2011

Things I learned this week: 1. Avoid making cupcakes for a barbecue during a nation-wide heat wave.  The frosting will surely melt, resulting in near-disaster.  2. Homemade ricotta is tasty on just about everything.  If you spread it on a different thing every night, you will have dinner for a week.  3. Corn and berries make a brilliant flavor pairing.  No joke.

Allow me to elaborate on point number 3 specifically.  Now we all know that corn is used in desserts often: corn pudding, and sweet cornbread, and even just plain sweet corn ice cream.  It actually seems pretty probable to use corn in desserts – it has a natural sweetness that works easily with sugar.  And it also adds a delectable smoky flavor.  Mmm.

But with berries!  That’s the unexpected kicker that works so well with this sweet, sweet grain.  It’s not so intuitive until you actually think about it: berries are sour, corn is sweet – sweet and sour is an age-long flavor combination, and ta da!  Everything makes sense.  The two are actually so lovely together that I may have corn on the cob with a side of raspberries at the next barbecue.  Or maybe not, but that’s not the point.  The point is that this ice cream works and it’s totally delicious.  You should give it a whirl…or a churn!  Ha.

And you can!  Another interesting point that I didn’t learn this week but I will share with you anyway!: I made this ice cream without an ice cream maker.  It’s a tad time consuming, but not particularly difficult.  Just follow the instructions found here.

Sweet Corn and Berry Ice Cream Tart (adapted from New York Times)

A couple more things: I made some extra graham cracker tart shells after making a key lime pie last week, so I filled the ice cream in there.  Delicious, and super easy to serve, but obviously not necessary.  I’m adding the directions below if you choose to make it.  Also, you can swirl the berry sauce into the ice cream while it’s freezing, as indicated below, or you can always just serve it on top of the scoops.  Different methods, same delicious taste.  A final note: I thought that an extra boost of corn flavor would be necessary, so I added some leftover corn kernels into the ice cream.  First of all, that was not true because the ice cream had tons of corn flavor.  But second of all, and more importantly, the corn added a not-so-pleasant crunch.  Bottom line: don’t do it.

Graham Cracker Crust

7-8 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs

1/2 stick butter, melted

2 tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together all of the ingredients until well incorporated.  Press on the bottom and up the sides of either 4 mini tart pans, or 1 9 inch tart pan until it the crust is spread evenly.  Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool completely.

Ice Cream

2 cups + 2 tbsp. whole milk

4 tsp. cornstarch

3 tbsp. cream cheese, softened

1/4 tsp. salt

1 stalk of fresh corn, husked

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

scant 2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp. honey

In a small bowl, mix together corn starch and 2 tbsp. milk until well incorporated.  Set aside.  In another small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and salt.  Set aside.

Prepare an ice bath – fill a large bowl half way with ice.  Have a smaller bowl ready with a strainer.

Slice the kernels from the cob, making sure that all of the juice is also extracted from the cob.  In a large pot, combine the 2 cups of milk, heavy cream, corn kernels and the cob, sugar and honey over medium high heat.  Allow it to come up to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes.  Discard the cob and strain the mixture into the prepared bowl, making sure that you press down on the corn to extract the flavor and juices.

Pour the mixture back into the pot.  Over medium high heat, slowly whisk in the corn starch mixture until it is full incorporated.  Allow it to come to a boil and let boil for 1 minute.  Turn the heat off and whisk in the cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.

Pour the mixture back into bowl and let it sit on top of the ice in the ice bath.  Stir occasionally until the mixture has become cold – about 45 minutes.  Follow the instructions in the link above to make the ice cream without an ice cream machine.  If you have a machine, follow the instructions to churn into ice cream.

Berry Swirl

1 cup blackberries

1 cup raspberries

scant 1/2 cup sugar

juice of 1 lemon

Combine everything in a small pot.  Stirring occasionally, boil for about 7-8 minutes.  Strain into a bowl, pressing the berries to extract the flavor and juice.  Refrigerate until cold.

To make tarts: Place a spoon full of berry sauce on the bottom of a tart shell, until the bottom is completely covered.  Spread the ice cream on top, and fill to the top of the tart shell.  Spoon some more berry sauce directly into the center of the tart, on top of the ice cream.  Using a butter knife, swirl the berry sauce into the ice cream.  Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze until firm.

To make a berry swirl, pack the ice cream into quart size containers.  Layer into container, alternating between ice cream and berry sauce.  Freeze until firm.

Posted in fruit, pies and tarts, sweet, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
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Blueberry Brown Betty

July 21, 2011

If I happened to be savvy with my words, I wouldn’t call one of these desserts a Blueberry Brown Betty, but rather an Easy-Peesy Blueberry Mini Openfaced Pie-Tart.  Yes, well, alas, Betties, they are.

But they really are insanely easy!  And almost completely unexpectedly easy.  Which is just so much better than knowing how easy these are going to be before you go into it.  So, here we are and I’m sorry to have burst your bubble.

But try these, with any fruit you want.  Because besides the fruit, you may already have all of the ingredients in your household.  Because, if I haven’t already mentioned it, these babies are easy to make.  And they are just so tasty.  Right out of the oven, and a couple hours later at room temperature, and toasted the next day.  These mini pies are tart from the fruit with a delicately sweetened filing, and they showcase just how awesome summer (and its produce!) is.  Delicious.

And the last best thing about this (besides the ease and the taste, of course), is when you serve it to your friends and they comment on how yummy and unique the “crust” is.  That’s when you silently laugh inside and think about how you just rolled out white sandwich bread as the crust, and your friends just don’t have a clue.  Trust me, that’s the last best thing.  You will see.

Blueberry Brown Betty (adapted from here)

1 stick unsalted butter

3 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

9 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup panko

2 cups blueberries

powdered sugar, for serving

Brown the butter: Place the stick of butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat.  Keeping an eye on it, watch as the butter melts, foams, clears and then begins to brown and smell almost nutty.  It will take about 5-7 minutes.  Take off heat.

Make filling: Mix together the panko, salt, lemon zest, and brown sugar.  Add blueberries and toss to coat.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350.  Using a brush, butter 9 muffin cups of a muffin tin.

Roll out each piece of bread until completely flat.  Brush each side of bread with browned butter and sprinkle each side with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Gently fit it into the muffin tin.  Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.

Pour the remaining butter into the blueberry mixture.  Stir to combine.

Evenly distribute filling into each of the bread cups.  Cover pan with aluminum foil.  Bake for 20 minutes with the foil on.  Take foil off and bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Let sit in pan for about 10 minutes before unmolding.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Posted in fruit, pies and tarts, sweet, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Cherry Clafouti

July 14, 2011

One day in high school, soon after receiving my driver’s license, my mom sent me to the grocery store to get a few items for dinner.  Always eager for a drive by myself, I happily obliged.  When I arrived at the grocery store, I saw these beautiful fresh red cherries staring back at me.  As if to further assert my independence, I strayed from the list and got, well, a lot, to make sure that my entire family would have enough.  I knew that my mom would be proud of me for getting something so nutritious for once!

I got back home, dropped the groceries on the counter and went to my room.  My mom immediately called me downstairs.  She had taken the receipt out of the bag to notice that the cherries cost $12.99/lb, and I happened to purchase a whopping three pounds of them (I had no concept that credit card = money at that time).  My best friend of a mother, who is possibly the least intimidating person in the world ever, coldly stared at me with steely eyes.  I silently gulped as she told me that I should have every intention of eating every single one of those cherries because each of them is like gold.*

What resulted from this is that I rarely baked with cherries.  Cherries were meant to be seen and not bought.  I exaggerate.  I bought them to eat, of course (with my mom’s permission, even after high school), but I never thought that I could appreciate “every single one of them” if they were baked into a cobbler.

This is all until last week when I saw that cherries were on sale!  I had never seen such a sight!  I picked two 2lb. bags of cherries, having every intention to bake with them.  I’ve never had such freedom to use cherries in my life!  And it was so so sweet.

As was this clafouti, which is like a big, thick pancake like cake.  Very eggy, sweet and satisfying.  But most of all, to my surprise, I think that I valued every single cherry that was thrown into the pan, in this cherry-filled treat.  And savored every last one of them.  Thanks to my mom, of course.

*In defense of my lovely mother who will not be so appreciative of this post, I stretched the truth a bit here.  She was not so scary at the time (c’mon, “steely eyes”??), though I did learn my lesson.  Did you like the truth in the story?  I didn’t either!  Exaggerated story wins.

Cherry Clafouti (recipe found here)

This is a Julia Childs’ recipe!  Not one to be messed with.  But I did, anyway.  Ever-so-slightly.  Which was a mistake.  I noticed that all fresh cherry recipes have just a smidge of almond extract in it.  So I added 1/2 tsp.  What was I thinking?!  I don’t even like almond extract!  It gave this a bit of a artificial taste, which was, well, not pleasing.  But I will suggest this: this recipe was very very sweet.  Almost too sweet to the point where you were not able to taste the freshness of the cherries.  I am tempted to say that you may want to cut the sugar by half.  That’s a lot, I know.  But this clafouti is screaming for a sprinkling of powdered sugar after it’s baked.  And you can adjust the sweetness level there.

1 1/4 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar, divided in half (original recipe called for 2/3 cups – see headnote)

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup all purpose flour

3 cups fresh cherries, pitted

powdered sugar, for dusting after baked

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter an 8 cup casserole dish.  In a blender, mix together milk, half of the sugar, eggs, vanilla, all purpose flour and salt, until completely smooth.  Pour a 1/4 inch layer of the mixture into prepared pan.  Bake for 10 minutes until almost set.  Sprinkle cherries evenly over baked mixture.  Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly on top of cherries.  Pour the rest of the batter on to the cherries.  Bake for about 50-60 minutes until browned, set and tester comes out clean.  Let cool for about 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, slice and serve.

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